There is uncertainty over the future of Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici, who has reportedly been offered a five-year contract by Italian side Fiorentina
Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici's potential departure for Fiorentina is an unwelcome distraction Spurs and Thomas Frank did not need this Christmas.
At this moment in time, the official line from the Europa League winners is that they're still yet to receive a formal approach from the Italian outfit for Paratici's services.
Until that changes, a deal cannot be struck between the parties and Tottenham would likely seek a compensation package.
But the fact Paratici is engaging in private discussions with Fiorentina shows that at the very least, he's tempted by the opportunity.
Given he only returned to Spurs in an official working capacity - it was the worst-kept secret in football that he was still assisting the club on a consultancy basis - in October, to some, it may feel like he's jumping ship at the first given opportunity.
To an extent, the north London club put their reputation on the line when they brought Paratici back to the club following the conclusion of his 30-month FIFA ban. The sporting chief was hit with the punishment by the governing body for his part in a financial scandal during his time at Juventus.
I was in Frank's pre-Aston Villa press conference after the announcement and the Dane, who was navigating teething problems of his own on the field, was forced to respond to awkward questions about whether the return of the former Juventus chief was ethical given he'd been handed an 18-month suspended jail sentence following a plea bargain deal with Italian prosecutors.
It shows how popular Paratici is within Tottenham circles that Spurs did not hesitate to bring him back on board. He's renowned for his relentless work-ethic, his extensive web of contacts across Europe and additionally, his meticulous eye for talent.
Yes there have been transfer misses but Paratici does deserve great credit for his influential role in deals for Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, among others.
Supporters are also fond of him because frequently at matches, he's spotted speaking on the phone in the director's box with his headphones dangling down by his side. Images of this often surface and are shared online on social media platforms, offering fans hope he's working around the clock on new signings for the club.
It's hard to shake the feeling that Frank's new-look project currently lacks stability. Results have been underwhelming and that's ultimately a by-product of the seismic changes that have happened upstairs at Tottenham since that historic night in Bilbao.
Donna-Maria Cullen, executive director and Daniel Levy's long-standing advisor left the club in the summer. Then following the arrival of new CEO Vinai Venkatesham, Levy followed in early September.
Spurs have put huge faith in Johan Lange and Paratici, who share a notable workload and are responsible for providing support for Frank and the first-team.
Lange's responsibilities include managing scouting networks, performance, football insights, performance analysis and the academy. Paratici takes care of players, manages relationships with their representatives, transfers and loans, including managing pathways of the club's younger stars.
They work collaboratively on squad planning, therefore it's far from ideal that Paratici - an instrumental figure - is seemingly toying with the prospect of an exit so close to the January transfer window.
Frank has already said the club will "100 per cent" be active in the market this winter but if Paratici were to leave, it would surely hinder plans to strengthen the squad next month.
Around 45 minutes after every home match, Paratici heads down the lift and walks through the mixed-zone into the home dressing room.
He's a warm and friendly character and will always say hello to journalists. On Saturday, one of my colleagues asked him as he breezed past: "Fabio, will you be staying or are you going to Fiorentina?"
His response was non-committal as he headed through the dressing-room door - and it conveyed there was some uncertainty.
Of course, even if he wants to go, he wouldn't have told us there and then but if it was a non-story, perhaps he would have made it known.
Italian reports suggest a five-year contract is on the table in Florence. La Viola are rooted to the foot of the Serie A table and star striker Moise Kean is also being tipped for a transfer this January.
Effectively, there's a sense Fiorentina's winter window will define their fate. From the outside looking in, they appear to be too big of a club to be relegated but their form is wretched - although they did thrash Udinese at the weekend - and their squad is uninspiring.
They're hedging their bets on Paratici to save their season and optically, it doesn't reflect well upon Tottenham that he'd consider such a risky move mid-season - just two months after being handed the sporting director role - when Spurs need him most. They still have so much to play for.