Ex-Tottenham transfer chief Fabio Paratici's influence hasn't waned despite his worldwide footballing ban, and it is believed he has worked Spurs into pole position to sign a £34 million second striker this summer.
Paratici still assisting Tottenham transfer plans
Manager Ange Postecoglou has backed that Paratici is still very much having a say behind-the-scenes, and admitted to media that he has been in contact with the Italian at various points.
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“Obviously I know Fabio and every now and then we’ll exchange messages or calls. He’s a smart guy and you can see that he’s got a great eye for talent," said Postecoglou on Paratici in late January.
“Within the workings of the club and what I do, I don’t have that kind of engagement. Not just with Fabio but with most people. It’s more about what the priority is right now, this week, and my focus is on the football and the football department.
“I don’t have a lot of dialogue with too many people. That’s how I structure my working life, I keep these things to a minimum.”
The former Juventus employee helped bring in some big names to Spurs from Italy during his time at the club, and will likely continue to do so. He may well have had a big hand in Tottenham signing Radu Dragusin from Genoa for £25 million in the winter, and Paratici is responsible for bringing in an array of talent before the Romanian.
Pierluigi Gollini
Cristian Romero
Pape Sarr
Emerson Royal
Bryan Gil
Rodrigo Bentancur
Dejan Kulusevski
Richarlison
Yves Bissouma
Destiny Udogie
Djed Spence
Clement Lenglet
Fraser Forster
Ivan Perisic
Pedro Porro
Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski and have been snapped up from Serie A in recent seasons, all of whom have gone on to impress in the Lilywhites jersey.
Paratici's network of contacts have also been impressed by Riccardo Calafiori as Tottenham ponder a move to sign him from Bologna in the summer. Meanwhile, it has also been suggested that Paratici is laying the groundwork for Spurs to sign a new forward through his sources.
The north Londoners have been heavily linked with a move for Genoa attacker Albert Gudmundsson as well, and it appears Paratici is having a real say on the move.
Paratici launches Tottenham into pole position for Gudmundsson
According to Inter Live, Tottenham are in pole position to sign Gudmundsson and Paratici is having "great influence".
The price needed to sign the Iceland international is rumoured to be around £34 million, but Spurs have firmly set their sights on the "quick and technical second striker".
“If he keeps improving, he won’t stay at Genoa for long,” said teammate Kevin Strootman on Gudmundsson to Il Secolo XIX newspaper (via Football Italia). “He reminds me of Salah when he was at Roma, in that every now and then he disappears. Much like Salah then, he would have four or five chances per match and only score at most one.
“They used to say that if Salah was more clinical, he would be playing for Liverpool, and that is exactly what happened. All joking aside, Gudmundsson is a devastating player and also an exemplary professional.”