SPURS CONFIRM FABIO PARATICI VERDICT TWO YEARS POST GLOBAL FOOTBALL BAN
Fabio Paratici returns to Tottenham as co-sporting director alongside Johan Lange. The club has reinstated the former director after his ban from Italian football was resolved.
Fabio Paratici will return to Tottenham Hotspur as co-sporting director, joining Johan Lange in that capacity.
After an unsuccessful appeal against a 30-month ban from Italian football, Paratici resigned from Tottenham in April 2023 after two years there. According to a statement released by Tottenham, "We are thrilled to welcome the return of Fabio Paratici to the club as sporting director." Johan Lange, who was elevated to the position of sporting director, will collaborate with Fabio.
"This is a component of our men's football operation's new structure, which aims to improve long-term decision-making, teamwork, and leadership in all facets of the men's and boys' game.
"They will work together to steer our men's football strategy and usher in a bold new era for the team. The club's ongoing investment in top-tier men's and women's football infrastructure, which is intended to produce consistent on-field success, includes this progression.
"With their combined experience, Johan and Fabio will make sure that every choice—from player development and paths to scouting and recruitment—is in line with the ultimate objective of creating a successful, long-lasting men's squad.
"By bringing together two seasoned leaders with complementary backgrounds and a dedication to cooperation and creativity, this alliance demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to contemporary football operations."
"I am thrilled to be back in a club that I love," Paratici said, expressing his happiness at rejoining the group. After several months of consulting with Johan, Vinai, and Thomas, I am eager to return to London and become a full-time member of the team."
"I genuinely believe we are building something special here at Tottenham Hotspur, and I am looking forward to working with Fabio as part of our new men's football system," expressed Lange, who joined Tottenham in November 2023 after previously working at Aston Villa and FC Copenhagen.
"We can look forward with confidence and positivity because we have a talented group of staff and players here at the club," he continued.
Vinai Venkatesham, who was named the club's CEO in April 2025, emphasised the importance of the change: "This is a significant change in the way we do things.
"A sporting director nowadays has a lot of responsibility, and by bringing together two outstanding leaders in Johan and Fabio, we are laying the groundwork for long-term success.
"They both have excellent football minds, complementary specialities, and proven track records. Our goal and resolve to compete at the greatest level in order to provide for our fans are reflected in this structure.
"Fabio and Johan will lead with purpose together, creating not only a competitive men's team but also a cohesive football ecosystem where every element supports our common goal of making our club a world football standard."
AWONIYI DOUBLE LEAVES NOTTINGHAM FOREST ON THE VERGE OF PREMIER LEAGUE SAFETY
Nottingham Forest moved closer to safety with a 3-1 win over Chelsea, while West Ham fell into the relegation zone after Spurs won.
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Nottingham Forest came out of the weekend looking pretty safe after pulling off an impressive 3-1 win at Chelsea. They’re almost clear of the relegation mess. Tottenham’s big away win at Aston Villa shook things up too, and now West Ham are back in the bottom three, running out of time faster than ever.
Forest have stepped up just when they needed to, leaving West Ham and Tottenham behind with a string of solid performances. Honestly, no one saw this coming, especially since Vitor Pereira shuffled his lineup with eight changes, fresh off a Europa League win against Aston Villa.
Even so, Forest were ahead within 90 seconds, thanks to Taiwo Awoniyi’s quick strike. By the 15th minute, Igor Jesus calmly buried a penalty after Malo Gusto’s reckless foul in the box. Chelsea had a chance to get back in it, but Cole Palmer wasted a penalty right before the break after a scary head collision involving Jesse Derry.
Awoniyi doubled down and scored again early in the second half, pushing Forest six points ahead of West Ham with just three games left.
West Ham’s weekend started badly; they looked flat and lost to Brentford. Things got worse Sunday night when Tottenham pulled off their first back-to-back Premier League wins since August 2025, beating a heavily rotated Aston Villa side 2-1.
Forest is now out of West Ham’s reach, or almost. Tottenham’s still close enough for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to worry, but with three tough games coming up, Spurs could stay up even without another win, unless West Ham digs deep and pulls off something unexpected before their home finale against Leeds.
Right now, Forest can practically taste safety. Spurs finally see a way out after weeks of struggle. As for West Ham, they’re left hoping for a miracle, a last-minute twist to dodge the drop.
CESC FABREGAS CONFIRMS INTEREST IN PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN AMID CHELSEA'S MANAGER SEARCH
As Chelsea searches for a new manager, Cesc Fabregas breaks his silence on his future at Como and his Premier League ambitions.
Cesc Fabregas recalls exactly how a conversation with Jose Mourinho prompted him to join Chelsea, despite having the opportunity to return to Arsenal.
After winning six trophies in just three seasons, the Spanish World Cup winner left Barcelona for the second time in 2014. That summer, Fabregas made a move back to the Premier League, signing with Chelsea for about €33 million.
He already knew English football well. Fabregas had arrived at Arsenal as a 16-year-old from Barcelona in 2003 and made 212 Premier League appearances for them. When he decided to leave Barcelona, Manchester City also wanted him, but Chelsea convinced him, mostly thanks to Mourinho.
Talking with talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings on YouTube, Fabregas laid out how it all happened. “Honestly, when I made up my mind to leave Barcelona, my first thought was just to go back to Arsenal. They had this buyback clause; they had two weeks to use it after I told them I was leaving. They knew about it but didn’t take it. That surprised me a little, but in the end, I had to think about my career. I was 27, at the peak of my career, and I wanted to continue performing and winning trophies. City and Chelsea were both options.
“But when Mourinho spoke to me, that was it. He showed me his plans for the team and told me about Diego Costa, Courtois, and Filipe Luis and how, with those guys, we’d win the league. He was right, by the way. We won both the Premier League and the Carling Cup.”
Fabregas wasted no time winning over Chelsea fans. On his debut at Burnley, he set up two goals, including a stunning assist for Andre Schurrle. He finished his first season at Chelsea with five goals and 24 assists, along with Premier League and League Cup medals.
Things dipped the next season. Fabregas got just 15 goal contributions, and Chelsea slipped all the way to tenth. But when Antonio Conte took charge in 2016-17, they bounced back, and Fabregas picked up another league title.
He added an FA Cup win in 2018, his second, after his earlier one with Arsenal, and left for Monaco a few months later. His last Chelsea match came in the FA Cup against Nottingham Forest. When he got subbed off, he couldn’t hold back tears.
Chelsea supporters still sing about him; that “Oh, Fabregas is magic...” chant sticks around. And with his name in the conversation for a possible return, maybe they haven’t seen the last of him yet.
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