Quotes from 2019 Fabio Paratici interview shed light on how he operates

Football.London have relayed quotes from an old interview that Fabio Paratici gave to Sky Sports that sheds light on how Tottenham’s soon-to-be Director of Football operates.

If reports are to be believed, it is only a matter of time before Tottenham confirm Paratici’s arrival, with the Italian already said to be working on identifying the club’s next manager and planning for the summer transfer window.

The 48-year-old enjoyed much success during his time as Juventus’ chief football officer, with the club going on to win nine consecutive Scudettos.

Tottenham have not had a Director of Football like role since Franco Baldini left the club in 2015 and Paratici certainly has plenty of work to do if he is to help the North Londoners close the gap on the best sides in the Premier League.

In the interview that Paratici gave to Sky Sports back in 2019, he explained how he is obsessed with following multiple leads to ensure he has as much information as possible before making a decision.

He is quoted as saying: “It is true that I often follow multiple leads to run interference and raise the price tag, but everybody does that.

“It is not even a strategy on my part, I am just obsessed with knowledge, I am very curious when I hear about some rumours or I catch wind that somebody else is after a player.

“I think this is a virtue, I always look deep into things to try to know why. This stimulates me a lot. When you try to get some information about a player, they are naturally linked to you and then you become a potential buyer.”

One main factor that will dictate whether Paratici is successful at Spurs is how well he works with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.

The Italian’s revelation about the relationship he had with former Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta potentially shows how the dynamic could work.

Paratici said on Marotta: “We were well-assorted and complementary. I dealt with the more technical aspects of the job, like scouting, talking with agents and finding the players.

“We always discussed the deals together, because he is very experienced and knows football, he was aware of the numbers and how far a negotiation could go. I brought the deals to the final stage and then he swooped in to help me avoid making mistakes.”

On the difference between identifying players for Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, he said: “Conte was not attached to the name of a player, he cared about his functionality in his system, which is legitimate and makes finding reinforcements easier.

“He had his game plan and we had to identify the right fits.

“Allegri is more flexible in that regard, he is more open-minded, so we have a wider scope.

“As a football fan, I am lucky for having had the opportunity to see high-calibre players practice every day, that is the only moment where I turn off the phone.

“I enjoyed Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba, Dani Alves, Gianluigi Buffon.

“This is a great satisfaction. Winning the Champions League is our ambition but not an obsession.”

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