Matt Law and Jason Burt have just released an article detailing Spurs search for the Paratici replacement as the next Sporting Director. Much is made about the manager, but I would argue that 75% of our struggles are down to the abysmal recruitment of the Paratici-Levy-Lange period over the past 5 seasons. This will be the most important appointment in a long time.
View: https://x.com/matt_law_dt/status/2028522856473113055?s=46
Matt Law
Published 02 March 2026 5:21pm GMT
Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their hunt for a new sporting director with checks believed to have been made on a number of potential candidates including Paul Winstanley and Dougie Freedman.
Winstanley is contracted to Chelsea until 2031 and is not expected to quit the Stamford Bridge club, while Freedman only joined Al-Diriyah, in Saudi Arabia’s second tier, last year.
Telegraph Sport understands the pair are among a number of possible candidates that checks have been made on through external sources working on behalf of Spurs.
It is believed that Tottenham would ideally like to agree a deal with a new sporting director in time for them to have a say on the identity of the next permanent head coach.
It remains to be seen whether that is possible, given Tottenham are involved in a Premier League relegation battle, but the club have started the process and hope to start speaking to candidates.
Spurs want to replace Fabio Paratici, who left the club to join Fiorentina last month. Johan Lange is the remaining sporting director at the club, but has faced criticism for the club’s recruitment.
Freedman is best known for his work at Crystal Palace, where he was credited with signings such as Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton. He was also heavily involved in the appointment of head coach Oliver Glasner.
Given he only joined Al-Diriyah last year, there are doubts over whether Freedman would be interested in the Spurs job or could leave his current post.
Winstanley has been sporting director at Tottenham’s London rivals Chelsea since November 2022 and, along with the club’s other recruitment chiefs, has been involved in the signings of Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo, Estêvão Willian and João Pedro. He has also helped the club hire a number of head coaches, including Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea rewarded their sporting directors, including Winstanley, with new contracts that run to 2031, following their Club World Cup success last summer and there is currently no expectation he will leave Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham hired Igor Tudor as head coach after sacking Thomas Frank, with the club waiting until the summer to make a permanent appointment, when they believe there will be a bigger pool of coaches available to them. That has left the door open for a potential return for Mauricio Pochettino, who worked with Winstanley for a season at Chelsea.
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So, who will it be?
View: https://x.com/matt_law_dt/status/2028522856473113055?s=46
Spurs step up hunt for sporting director with checks made on Paul Winstanley and Dougie Freedman
Club want replacement for Fabio Paratici to have significant say in who they appoint as manager in the summerMatt Law
Published 02 March 2026 5:21pm GMT
Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their hunt for a new sporting director with checks believed to have been made on a number of potential candidates including Paul Winstanley and Dougie Freedman.
Winstanley is contracted to Chelsea until 2031 and is not expected to quit the Stamford Bridge club, while Freedman only joined Al-Diriyah, in Saudi Arabia’s second tier, last year.
Telegraph Sport understands the pair are among a number of possible candidates that checks have been made on through external sources working on behalf of Spurs.
It is believed that Tottenham would ideally like to agree a deal with a new sporting director in time for them to have a say on the identity of the next permanent head coach.
It remains to be seen whether that is possible, given Tottenham are involved in a Premier League relegation battle, but the club have started the process and hope to start speaking to candidates.
Spurs want to replace Fabio Paratici, who left the club to join Fiorentina last month. Johan Lange is the remaining sporting director at the club, but has faced criticism for the club’s recruitment.
Freedman is best known for his work at Crystal Palace, where he was credited with signings such as Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton. He was also heavily involved in the appointment of head coach Oliver Glasner.
Given he only joined Al-Diriyah last year, there are doubts over whether Freedman would be interested in the Spurs job or could leave his current post.
Winstanley has been sporting director at Tottenham’s London rivals Chelsea since November 2022 and, along with the club’s other recruitment chiefs, has been involved in the signings of Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo, Estêvão Willian and João Pedro. He has also helped the club hire a number of head coaches, including Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea rewarded their sporting directors, including Winstanley, with new contracts that run to 2031, following their Club World Cup success last summer and there is currently no expectation he will leave Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham hired Igor Tudor as head coach after sacking Thomas Frank, with the club waiting until the summer to make a permanent appointment, when they believe there will be a bigger pool of coaches available to them. That has left the door open for a potential return for Mauricio Pochettino, who worked with Winstanley for a season at Chelsea.
—-
So, who will it be?
