Tottenham co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange have been informed of a key signing Thomas Frank wants to complete in N17, with Spurs also having made contact about a French international star.
Paratici and Lange set for transfer partnership with Tottenham
On Wednesday, Spurs announced Paratici’s long-awaited return to north London, following the Italian’s tenure as chief executive between 2021 and 2023.
Paratici, after being forced to resign due to a global ban on football by FIFA, subsequently worked as a consultant/advisor to ex-president Daniel Levy, and took on this unofficial role during the summer window to assist Lange, CEO Vinai Venkatesham and Frank.
Once his FIFA ban expired, Paratici was repeatedly tipped to return to Tottenham as manager, but Levy’s departure after 25 years briefly threw that decision into doubt (talkSPORT).
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Fabio Paratici’s five best signings at Tottenham |
Cost |
|---|---|
|
1. Cristian Romero |
£42.5 million |
|
2. Dejan Kulusevski |
£25.5 million |
|
3. Rodrigo Bentancur |
£21.5 million |
|
4. Pedro Porro |
£40 million |
|
5. Djed Spence |
£20 million |
Venkatesham ultimately decided to appoint Paratici regardless of Levy’s departure, with the 53-year-old now partnering with Lange as one of Tottenham’s two sporting directors.
As Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge explains, Lange and Paratici will have two very different roles, with the former overseeing scouting, academy and data-driven recruitment analysis, while the latter operates as Tottenham’s proven ‘negotiator’.
“It’s the same job title, but also two different roles,” Bridge explained on Sky.
“As far as Paratici is concerned, he will try to bring in the players, the senior players.
“He is an influential figure, he will play an important role in getting deals done, that’s what I think here as far as Paratici is concerned. As for Lange, he will focus on the academy, an eye for talent, scouting… a real success, Lucas Bergvall.
“It will look at performance data, analytics… the message is ‘come together’. Led by Venkatesham and the sporting directors, and head coach Thomas Frank, it’s a collective, that’s the message from Tottenham Hotspur.”
With Paratici and Lange ready to back Frank in separate capacities, the Spurs boss is believed to have made his transfer desire clear.
Frank wants new midfielder at Tottenham after approach for KHephren Thuram
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, via The Boot Room, Frank wants Tottenham to sign a new midfielder.
Despite already having Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr in the engine room, misfit midfielder Yves Bissouma is out of contract at the end of this season and very likely to leave.
The Mali international, partly due to injury, is yet to make a single competitive appearance under Frank and has been left out of the UEFA Super Cup squad and the 22-man Champions League squad.
Bissouma clearly has no long-term future under Frank, with the Dane keen to sign another player who could replace the African in 2026.
Bailey adds that Tottenham have made a move to sign Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram this summer, but he is going to be very difficult to get now, with the Old Lady deeming him “untouchable” alongside Kenan Yildiz after an excellent start to the 2025/2026 season.
While Spurs have been tipped to move on from the Frenchman, who has forced his way into Didier Deschamps’ plans ahead of next year’s World Cup, other reports suggest Rangers star Nicolas Raskin has become a Lilywhites target.
The Belgian is by far their standout player, and Premier League sides are taking note of his exploits, with Raskin’s contract also set to expire in less than two years.
The 24-year-old would cost around £20-25m to acquire from Ibrox – a price surely achievable for Paratici and Lange – with a bid around that mark poised to make Raskin the Gers’ biggest ever sale.
Whether they go for Raskin or contact Thuram again, Frank is personally keen to add another midfield technician to his ranks next year.
