Fabio Paratici’s ban is still ongoing but he’s working in the shadows as an advisor for Tottenham Hotspur, who have benefited from his transfer expertise.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Having joined Spurs to become their managing director in the summer of 2021, Paratici was forced to resign in April 2023 after being embroiled in the capital gains investigation that marred former club Juventus and Italian football in general.
Paratici is barred from taking on an official role at a football club until his 30-month worldwide ban ends, but this is not stopping him from “exchanging messages or calls” with Ange Postecoglou as Spurs tap into his knowhow for astute transfers.
And on the evidence of this list of signings, Paratici has been a great help. Aside from a couple of duds, a significant portion of Tottenham Hotspur’s 25 signings since the Italian’s arrival in 2021 have been successful. Below I have ranked them from worst to best…
All fees are taken from transfermarkt…
25) Djed Spence (£12.5m, Middlesbrough)
Dud number one. Signed during Antonio Conte’s reign after a single break-out season while on loan at Nottingham Forest during their promotion season in 2010/11, it quickly became obvious that Spence was not fancied by the bullish Italian.
Unsuccessful loan spells at Rennes and Leeds United preceded reports of the defender having a poor attitude. He’s now on loan with Genoa (who have a buy option) so Spence’s Tottenham career could end before it even got going.
24) Bryan Gil (£21.3m, Sevilla)
Dud number two. Like Spence, the winger’s career at Spurs has never got off the ground with several managers never won over by the fifth Beatle.
Loveable Aussie Postecoglou has gifted Gil a fresh start this season but the 22-year-old has not made the most of this opportunity and he may reportedly fall on his feet with a loan to Brighton on deadline day.
23) Arnaut Danjuma (loan, Villarreal)
The Danjuma transfer saga of January 2023 was a weirdly enjoyable one as the former Bournemouth man looked set for Everton until those pesky Spurs pulled off a late hijack. In the end, he wasn’t worth the effort as he made just one Premier League start during that miserable 2022/23 run-in.
22) Manor Solomon (loan, Shakhtar Donetsk)
Having impressed with Fulham last season, Solomon felt like a pretty astute addition but he’s spent most of Tottenham’s good vibes season on the treatment table after suffering a serious knee injury in October.
21) Pierluigi Gollini (loan, Atalanta)
The one-time Italy international made just ten appearances (zero in the Premier League) during his 2021/22 loan season as deputy to the declining Hugo Lloris. Next…
20) Alejo Veliz (£12.8m, Rosario Central)
Identified as a star for the future, the 20-year-old striker has only featured sporadically this season and it remains to be seen whether he will eventually be good enough to be a key component of Postecoglou’s post-Harry Kane Spurs side. Get back to us on this one.
19) Fraser Forster (free transfer, Southampton)
The veteran goalkeeper replaced Gollini before the 2022/23 campaign and made 20 appearances last term as Lloris’ farewell season was impacted by injuries. He’s now in the cushy pre-retirement back-up goalkeeper role with Tottenham’s number one earning all the plaudits.
18) Clement Lenglet (loan, FC Barcelona)
Not great, not terrible. Tottenham did not see enough from Lenglet during last season’s loan spell to keep him long-term and given who they have replaced him with this season, they were right not to make his deal permanent.
17) Timo Werner (loan, RB Leipzig)
Still one of the stand-out signings of this dull transfer window, Werner is only three matches into his Tottenham career and already has two assists. The early signs suggest he will fare better at Spurs than he did at Chelsea and if he does, he will be a lot higher on this list in May.
16) Emerson Royal (£21.3m, FC Barcelona)
Had this list been put together before this season, Royal would have been dud number three. But the former Barcelona man is gradually proving his worth and his versatility has been important in recent months as Postecoglou has coped with an early-season injury crisis.
15) Ivan Perisic (free transfer, Inter Milan)
Despite being one of Tottenham’s better performers last season, this signing had Conte’s paws all over it and the 34-year-old was never going to be at the forefront of Postecoglou’s mind for his fresh-faced Spurs side. It would have been great if he joined the Premier League five years earlier before he was past his peak.
14) Radu Dragusin (£21.3m, Genoa)
Thank you Spurs and Dragusin. This dramatic transfer saga was a rare highlight of this month’s uneventful window. Like Werner, it’s too early to properly judge the Romania international but Bayern Munich’s past interest in the defender is a positive sign.
13) Ashley Phillips (£1.95m, Blackburn Rovers)
Another #OneForTheFuture. The 18-year-old has been shining for England at youth level and if he reaches his potential, he could prove to be a huge bargain.
12) Brennan Johnson (£47m, Nottingham Forest)
After making a sluggish start to the season, the 22-year-old now has two goals and four assists in his 16 Premier League outings. Not yet performing at the same level as some of Tottenham’s other attackers, but he’s getting there.
11) Richarlison (£49.5m, Everton)
This list would not have made good reading for the Brazil international had it been produced in the summer. But after being one of last season’s major flops, the 26-year-old is *finally* hitting his stride as Postecoglou’s main attacker and will crack the top ten if his current scoring hot streak continues.
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10) Yves Bissouma (£25m, Brighton)
The midfielder has been like a new signing for Spurs this season after being a victim of the torrid 2022/23 campaign. Angeball has afforded the 27-year-old the freedom to express himself without the Conte-enforced restraints and he has been shone alongside one of his fellow midfielders…
9) Pape Sarr (£14.4m, FC Metz)
The all-action midfielder has been one of the surprise packages of this season as he has – just like Micah Richards – broke onto the scene. A perfect fit for Postecoglou’s system, Sarr should be vital to Spurs for many years to come.
8) Rodrigo Bentancur (£16.2m, Juventus)
When Conte demanded signings ahead of the 2022 January transfer window, Spurs came up trumps when they landed Bentancur and another player from Juventus. Despite being tormented by a severe ankle injury, the classy midfielder has won the hearts of Tottenham supporters and he’s now getting back to his best.
7) Dejan Kulusevski (£25.6m, Juventus)
Spurs have profited from Juventus’ charitable nature as Bentancur and Kulusevski have proven to be snips at their respective fees. The Sweden international has not been able to match the remarkable levels he produced immediately after signing in January 2022, but he is a regular provider of goals and assists with his devilish left foot.
6) Guglielmo Vicario (£15.8m, FC Empoli)
Spurs appeared to have drawn the short straw when they landed Vicario while Arsenal signed David Raya, but they have made mugs of us all as the low-cost signing of the ball-playing goalkeeper – who has been one of the best ‘keepers in the Premier League this season – has been a masterstroke.
5) Destiny Udogie (£15.4m, Udinese)
21-year-old Udogie will be glad that last season’s loan spell with Udinese meant he missed Tottenham’s horror show and he is now being spoiled with life under Postecoglou. The Italy international swiftly elbowed Ben Davies out of the way to become Spurs’ new first-choice left-back and while he’s not yet the final product, his potential is enormous.
4) Micky van de Ven (£34m, VfL Wolfsburg)
Much of Paratici’s work over the past couple of years has centred around rebuilding Tottenham’s defence and he’s done a bloody good job of it. Spurs secured a major coup as they leapfrogged Liverpool in the race to sign left-sided centre-back Van de Ven, who is already the real deal.
3) Cristian Romero (£42.7m, Atalanta)
Van de Ven’s transition into life as a Premier League player has been made easier by playing alongside World Cup winner Romero. The defensive sh*thouse is excellent at everything he does and he’s also emerged as an important leader of this new-look Spurs.
2) Pedro Porro (£34m, Sporting Lisbon)
Porro – a player heavily criticised last season – has shut his doubters up this term as he is fast becoming a complete wing-back. Spurs will be glad that Man City let him slip through their fingers a couple of seasons ago, but Pep Guardiola may soon eye him as Kyle Walker’s long-term replacement.
1) James Maddison (£39.5m, Leicester City)
He was always going to be good, but few anticipated Maddison would be this good a signing for Spurs. The kind of player Tottenham have missed since Christian Eriksen’s exit, the England international was sensational before his injury (three goals and five assists in 11 Premier League outings) and his return from injury is a timely boost for Postecoglou’s Champions League chasers.
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