Fabio Paratici returns to Tottenham as co-sporting director after FIFA ban

The Italian executive, who resigned in April 2023 following a 30-month suspension handed down by FIFA, will now share the sporting director role with Johan Lange, who has been promoted from technical director. Together, they will lead the club's men's football strategy - overseeing recruitment, performance development, and long-term squad planning.

Paratici's return comes after months of behind-the-scenes consultancy work with Spurs, during which he collaborated closely with Lange, head coach Thomas Frank, and CEO Vinai Venkatesham. "I'm delighted to be returning to a club that I love," said Paratici. "Working in partnership with Johan, I'm convinced we can build a special future for the club and our supporters."

Paratici's departure in 2023 followed the fallout from a high-profile scandal at his former club Juventus, where he served for 11 years. An Italian court found Juventus guilty of false accounting, resulting in the club's Serie A points deduction and a wave of executive sanctions. Paratici's subsequent appeal was rejected by Italy's highest sports court, and FIFA extended his ban globally.

However, a more recent legal development paved the way for his return: a Rome judge accepted a plea bargain that saw Paratici avoid an 18-month prison sentence. Under Italian law, plea deals do not constitute an admission of guilt or liability.

Since then, Spurs have gradually reintegrated him in a low-profile consultancy role, with sources indicating the club always planned to reconsider his position once his legal matters concluded.