Tottenham have added another layer to their summer rebuild, with Carlos Raphael Moersen starting work in a newly-created director of football operations role. He began in time for this summer’s transfer window after gardening leave with City Football Group. The move gives Johan Lange extra support while Spurs push through deals and keep reshaping the football department.
Why Tottenham wanted another operator in place
Moersen’s appointment was first announced in January as Tottenham’s second hire from the City Group, after Dan Lewindon arrived mid-season as performance director. Lange said the club were “delighted to welcome Rafi to the club” and described him as “the outstanding candidate from a highly competitive process”. He added that the appointment is “an important step as we continue to strengthen our football structure and support long-term success.”
That language fits the state of the club. Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, collected 41 points and ended with a -9 goal difference. Their record of 10 wins, 11 draws and 17 defeats is why another experienced operator matters now, not later.
What Moersen brings from City Football Group
Moersen spent four years at Manchester City before moving into a wider City Football Group role in 2020. His background also includes DC United, where he worked his way from sales intern to account executive, plus a master's degree at the University of Valencia focused on MLS expansion.
At Tottenham, he will lead football administration, player care, liaison and training-ground operations as part of the executive leadership team. That is not the job of a headline signing. It is the kind of hire that makes a busy window easier to handle when the club is trying to do more than just buy players.
Spurs have already tied up free transfers for Andrew Robertson and Marcos Senesi and a £52million deal for Jan Paul van Hecke. Brighton finished 8th with 53 points and a +6 goal difference, while van Hecke has five recent starts and a 6.8 average rating across his last five matches.
The point is not that Moersen guarantees anything on the pitch. The point is that Tottenham are trying to run the football side better, and this is another hire aimed at that job. With the summer window moving and Lange in place, the structure around recruitment is getting a clear upgrade.
Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →