The structure of a football club’s front office is often just as important as the tactics used on the pitch, and at Tottenham Hotspur, the blueprint for the future is currently being redrawn. In a move that signals a lack of total confidence in the current setup, the hierarchy at Spurs has decided to hunt for a high-level replacement for Fabio Paratici.
While many expected Johan Lange to step up and take full control of the club’s recruitment strategy, it appears the board is not ready to hand him the keys to the kingdom just yet. Instead, they are doubling down on a two-man sporting director model that aims to provide more balance—and perhaps more success in the transfer market.
The departure of Fabio Paratici marks the end of a complicated chapter for the North London club. Paratici remained a shadow figure in Tottenham’s recruitment throughout the January transfer window, even as the club prepared for his exit.
It was eventually confirmed that he would stay on to navigate the winter market before officially making the move to join Serie A side Fiorentina at the start of February. His exit left a void that many assumed would be filled by Johan Lange, who arrived from Aston Villa in 2023 with a strong reputation for identifying talent.
However, the recent January window seems to have changed the internal perspective on Lange’s role. Tottenham’s activity in the market was modest, to say the least, leaving the squad looking incredibly thin during a critical stretch of the season.
Aside from the £35 million arrival of Conor Gallagher from Chelsea, which was undeniably a significant boost, the rest of the business felt like a drop in the ocean. The signing of young left-back Souza from Santos was a move for the future, but it did nothing to help manager Thomas Frank solve the immediate crisis of a threadbare squad.
The lack of reinforcements has not gone unnoticed by the players. Cristian Romero, a leader in the dressing room, took to social media shortly after the deadline to express his frustration.
He described the fact that the team only had 11 fit senior players available at one point as “disgraceful,” a comment that many interpreted as a direct jab at the recruitment team’s failure to bolster the ranks. When a World Cup-winning defender publicly calls out the club’s lack of depth, it puts immense pressure on the board to act.
Lange has defended the quiet window by pointing to a lack of quality options in the winter market. He noted that the entire football world experienced a stagnant January, with fewer deals being completed across the major European leagues than in previous years.
While there is truth to his observation market liquidity was indeed low rival clubs still managed to find ways to strengthen. For a club like Tottenham, which has aspirations of consistent Champions League football, “quiet markets” are rarely accepted as an excuse for an unbalanced squad.
By refusing to grant Lange total autonomy, Tottenham is signaling that they want a system of checks and balances. The “double model” of management is designed to ensure that no single person carries the entire weight of the club’s scouting and negotiation efforts.
This approach is intended to provide a more robust network, combining different scouting philosophies and professional connections to ensure that Spurs never find themselves in another situation where they are unable to replace key departing players, such as Brennan Johnson, who left a significant hole in the attack after his move to Crystal Palace.
The search for Paratici’s successor is now well underway. The club is looking for a personality who can work alongside Lange but also challenge him. They need someone with deep roots in European football who can unlock doors that have recently remained closed.
The goal is to move away from a reactionary recruitment style and toward a proactive one that anticipates the needs of Thomas Frank’s tactical system.
| Key Personnel | Current Role | Status |
| Johan Lange | Technical Director | Remaining in current role |
| Fabio Paratici | Former Sporting Director | Joined Fiorentina |
| Thomas Frank | Manager | Seeking squad depth |
| Conor Gallagher | Midfielder | New signing (Jan 2026) |
As Tottenham enters this new era of management, the pressure is on the board to get this appointment right. The fans are restless, the players are vocal, and the manager needs tools to work with.
Reverting to a two-man model is a safe bet in theory, but its success will depend entirely on the chemistry between the new arrival and Johan Lange. If they can align their visions, Spurs might finally find the stability they have craved since the stadium doors first opened.
If not, the “disgraceful” lack of depth that Romero lamented may become a permanent fixture of life in North London.
