Tottenham Hotspur have announced the appointment of City Football Group’s (CFG) Carlos Raphael Moersen to the newly-created role of director of football operations.
The Athletic first reported in December that Moersen was in advanced talks to join the club.
Moersen is currently on gardening leave from CFG and is due to join Spurs ahead of the summer transfer window. He is not considered a replacement for the outgoing Fabio Paratici, who will join Fiorentina on February 4, but will work closely with Spurs’ remaining sporting director, Johan Lange.
Known as ‘Rafi’, Moersen – who has spent over a decade at CFG, most recently as its director of football transactions – will report to Lange, apart from on women’s football where he will report to Spurs’ chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.
“Rafi will lead our football administration, player care, and training ground operations, and join the club’s executive leadership team,” read a Spurs statement. “A key part of his role will be overseeing women’s football, where we will continue to drive a renewed focus and ambition for Tottenham Hotspur Women.”
Next month, Dan Lewindon is also due to join Spurs from CFG as performance director – with responsibility for medical, sports science, nutrition and psychology across the men’s and women’s team and the academy.
As well as Paratici, Rebecca Caplehorn will leave her role as Tottenham’s head of administration and football governance at the end of the January transfer window.
It has been a period of profound change in the hierarchy at Spurs. Venkatesham was appointed as CEO in April and Thomas Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou as head coach in the summer. The same month, long-serving Executive Director Donna-Maria Cullen stepped down from her position on the board. In June, chief football officer Scott Munn was placed on gardening leave before departing.
Most significantly, in September, Daniel Levy was removed as Spurs executive chairman after 24 years at the helm of the club, leaving the Lewis family in charge.