Fabio Paratici, the former Tottenham Hotspur sporting director (and previously co-sporting director alongside Johan Lange), has taken what many interpret as a pointed swipe at his ex-employers’ owners during his unveiling as Fiorentina’s new sporting director.
In his press conference at Viola Park (Fiorentina’s training complex) around early February 2026, Paratici explained his decision to leave Spurs and return to Italy. While thanking Tottenham for the opportunity and his time there, he repeatedly emphasised the quality of Fiorentina’s ownership:
“In my case, Fiorentina have a serious set of owners, a very serious set of owners who are of great value.”
He described the move as a “courageous” (or “brave”) choice rather than reckless, highlighting Fiorentina’s infrastructure, global brand, shared vision, and — crucially — “very serious” owners. He repeated variations of “serious” multiple times when discussing why the role appealed to him.
This has been widely reported as a subtle (or not-so-subtle) dig at Tottenham’s owners (the Lewis family/ENIC), implying they may not meet the same standard of seriousness or commitment in his view.
Paratici also noted he decided to join Fiorentina around mid-December 2025, when the club was struggling, and that he convinced the late owner Rocco Commisso (who passed away in January 2026) to bring him on.
He expressed gratitude toward Spurs:
“I’d like to thank Tottenham, my former club, for the opportunity they granted me to join Fiorentina, return to Italy and the opportunity to spend five wonderful years in the Premier League. It was an incredible experience. They made me feel at home and stood by me in tough times, so I feel obliged to thank Tottenham.”
The comments sparked reactions, including Tottenham manager Thomas Frank defending the club’s owners as “very, very serious” when asked about it, reportedly with a laugh.
Paratici officially began his role at Fiorentina in early February 2026, arriving amid the club’s relegation battle in Serie A. The remarks have fuelled discussion among Tottenham fans and media about ownership frustrations, especially given recent transfer windows and club direction.
This appears to stem from his January 2026 departure from Spurs (cited as personal reasons) to take up the Fiorentina position.