Tottenham confirm return of Fabio Paratici – after Italian was handed 18-month suspended prison sentence for false accounting – as they appoint TWO sporting directors

Fabio Paratici has returned to Tottenham Hotspur as sporting director after serving a 30-month ban for false accounting, the club have confirmed. 

The Italian was hit with the ban during his first stint in north London for his role in alleged financial regularities relating back to his time at Juventus in early 2023. 

Paratici later appealed the decision, unsuccessfully, before official stepping away from his role as at Spurs in April 2023 after two years at the club.

But now he’s back, with Spurs confirming on Wednesday that Paratici has been appointed as their new sporting director alongside Johan Lange, formerly an Aston Villa chief.

‘I’m delighted to be returning to a club that I love,’ Paratici said, ‘I have been working with Johan, Vinai (Venkatesham) and Thomas (Frank) as a consultant for a number of months and I now look forward to returning to London and joining the team full-time. 

‘I’m convinced that working in partnership with Johan we can build a special future for our club and supporters.’ 

With the former Juventus chief continuing to work as an unofficial consultant at Spurs during his ban, when his suspension finished in July, there had been strong rumours of a return despite links to AC Milan.      

But Paratici’s case in the Italian courts only reached its conclusion last month when a judge in Rome accepted a plea bargain by former Juventus executives over their alleged false accounting. 

Previously agreed prison sentences of 20 months for ex-Old Lady chairman Andrea Agnelli, 18 months for Paratici and 14 months for Pavel Nedved were suspended. All three of the chiefs deny wrongdoing. 

Juventus were also fined £136,000 following the investigation, which started in 2021, with the club releasing a statement reading: ‘The plea agreement does not entail any admission or recognition of liability.’

Paratici’s return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium comes at a time of change for the club after the exit of long-serving chairman Daniel Levy in September. 

Peter Charrington later stepped into the role of non-executive chairman in place of Levy, working alongside Vinai Venkatesham, who takes charge of all operational matters on and off the pitch. 

Upon the appointment of Spurs’ two new sporting directors, Vekatesham said: ‘This is an important evolution in how we operate. The remit of a sporting director is vast, and by uniting two exceptional leaders in Johan and Fabio, we’re setting the foundations for sustained success. 

‘They are both outstanding football minds, with complementary expertise and strong track records. This structure reflects our amabition and our determination to complete at the very highest level to deliver for our supporters. 

‘Together, Fabio and Johan will lead with purpose – building not only a competitive men’s squad but a connected football ecosystem where every detail ontributes to our shared ambition: to make our club a benchmark for excellence in world football.’

Spurs have enjoyed a promising start to the season since the arrival of Thomas Frank from Brentford in the summer. 

They sit in third position after the Premier League’s opening seven game-weeks having lost just one fixture. 

They host Aston Villa in north London on Thursday.