Tottenham are reportedly bracing for another significant off-field change, with co-sporting director Fabio Paratici set to leave the club for a second time just months after his return.
According to a report from The Athletic, the 53-year-old Italian will join Serie A side Fiorentina in early February to head up their football operations, citing personal reasons for the sudden move.
Paratici will not leave immediately; he is expected to remain in his post alongside Johan Lange to steer Tottenham through the remainder of the winter transfer window.
The window closes for English clubs on Monday, February 2, after which Paratici will finalise his switch to Florence.
Despite the impending exit, Paratici remains active in shaping the squad. He has been instrumental in orchestrating what is expected to be Spurs’ first arrival of the month: the signing of Brazilian left-back Souza from Santos.
A fee has reportedly been agreed for the highly-rated teenager, a deal that bears the hallmarks of Paratici’s extensive South American scouting network.
However, the brevity of his second tenure has surprised many. Having only returned to North London in October 2025 following the expiration of his worldwide ban, the report suggests that he is return to his homeland for ‘personal reasons’.
The opportunity to lead Fiorentina offers a prestigious role closer to home, which appears to have tipped the scales for the Italian director.
Fabio Paratici’s two stints at Tottenham and his key contributions to the club
Paratici’s relationship with Tottenham has been turbulent but undeniably impactful.
His first stint began in June 2021 as Managing Director of Football, where he was tasked with modernizing the club’s recruitment.
This period was cut short in April 2023 when he was forced to resign following a 30-month worldwide ban related to financial irregularities during his time at Juventus.
Despite the controversy, his fingerprints remain all over the current Tottenham starting XI.
During his first spell, he was responsible for recruiting core stars such as Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, and Rodrigo Bentancur, players who became key for the team.
| Player | Position | Signed From | Approx. Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cristian Romero | Centre-back | Atalanta | £42m |
| Dejan Kulusevski | Winger | Juventus | £30m |
| Rodrigo Bentancur | Midfielder | Juventus | £16m |
| Destiny Udogie | Left-back | Udinese | £15m |
| Yves Bissouma | Midfielder | Brighton | £25m |
| Pedro Porro | Right-back | Sporting CP | £39m |
| Guglielmo Vicario | Goalkeeper | Empoli | £17m |
| James Maddison | Midfielder | Leicester City | £40m |
| Micky van de Ven | Centre-back | Wolfsburg | £34m |
| Brennan Johnson | Forward | Nottingham Forest | £47.5m |
| Manor Solomon | Winger | Free transfer | Free |
He also secured the signings of Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr, identifying their talent early and securing them before their values skyrocketed.
During his ban, he continued to work unofficially as a consultant for Daniel Levy and played a role in helping Spurs sign several players including Micky van de Ven, Brennan Jonson and Vicario among others.
His return in late 2025 was seen as a move to stabilise the club’s recruitment structure alongside Lange, but it appears his second chapter at Spurs will be little more than a cameo
