Tottenham have paused their search for a new sporting director until the end of the summer transfer window, and the timing says plenty about how they are approaching this window. Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said responsibility will be shared by Johan Lange, Roberto De Zerbi and Rafi Moersen, with Tottenham treating recruitment as a collective job after a season that finished 17th and only narrowly avoided relegation on the final day.
Tottenham's shared recruitment plan
Venkatesham was blunt about the setup. “No one has been in a process and turned us down. Many names in the media linked with us, we have never even spoken to,” he said to standard.co.uk. He also added: “Players are not bought or sold because ‘the club’ wants to or ‘Roberto’ wants to.”
That is a clear break from the idea of one strong sporting director calling the shots. Tottenham’s 41 points from 38 league matches, with a 10-11-17 record and a -9 goal difference, explain why the club are choosing a broader reset rather than waiting for one executive appointment to steer the whole thing.
Fernandes and Tonali show the scale of the rebuild
The transfer links fit that approach. Italian journalist Matteo Moretto reported that Tottenham were very close to an agreement on personal terms with Mateus Fernandes, while Sky Sports said Spurs were willing to pay £85m. There are different versions of the price picture, though, with one report also saying Manchester United had previously valued him at around £60m.
Fernandes has also posted a strong recent run, averaging 7.32 across his last five league matches. He is not the only target pulling the window upwards. Sandro Tonali is another name in the mix, after Newcastle rejected bids worth almost £80m and previously turned down £75m. Tonali has averaged 6.94 across his last five league games, which is the sort of level Tottenham are trying to buy if they go back in.
The Tonali case also underlines the scale of the chase. Newcastle finished 12th, so they have every reason to resist, and Spurs are not dealing with a cheap or simple rebuild. Even Real Madrid reportedly ruled out a move for Fernandes after learning he preferred Tottenham, which only sharpens the focus on where the club are trying to spend.
The shape of the summer is already clear enough. Tottenham are not waiting for a finished sporting director structure before acting, and the next few weeks will show whether that shared model delivers the midfield reinforcements they want.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →