Fabio Paratici's resignation at Spurs has changed the transfer landscape for this summer, with Spurs now joining Liverpool and Manchester United in the search for a Director of Football.
Paratici left Spurs after his global ban from football activity, as a result of dealings during his time with Juventus was upheld. He followed Antonio Conte out of North London and Spurs are now left in the unenviable position of having to hire both a new manager and Director of Football.
Each club at the elite level of football is structured differently, but at present it appears as though Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham will all be looking to make a hire to oversee transfer activity. One man reportedly on the radar for both Liverpool and Manchester United is Paul Mitchell, but having previously worked at Spurs, United and Liverpool may see their plans scuppered.
As shown by clubs such as Brighton, astute transfer activity can bring success beyond expectations, but with 'elite' clubs it is a very different task. Those in charge must appease the wishes of fans who demand big name signings, while also recruiting players who will not affect the balance and harmony of their squad.
It is an unenviable job, which means that those who have a proven track record of making clever transfers are highly sought after within the industry. Mitchell has a glowing CV in this regard, joining Tottenham from Southampton in 2014 and bringing in talent such as Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli, two players who would eventually play in a Champions League final for Spurs.
He left the club in 2016, with the Guardian reporting that he had found the frustrations of working for the club and Daniel Levy too much, a fact which could make a return difficult. He went on to join RB Leipzig in 2018, making a name for himself within the highly admired Red Bull football network, however, he then left in 2020 to join Monaco.
Those are clubs who possess a proven track record of taking lesser known players and turning them into stars, something which Liverpool were able to do with players such as Andy Robertson, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in recent years.
This ability has seemingly been lost in recent windows as expectations have risen, with Michael Edwards departing last summer and his replacement Julian Ward announcing his departure at the end of the season. This leaves the need to make a hire, with Mitchell being a seemingly outstanding candidate due to his experience and CV.
They will also have to compete with Manchester United for a new hire in the role, with their recruitment having been somewhat chaotic in recent years. Last summer's failure to secure the signing of Frenkie De Jong has shone a light on the club's recruitment and they could also be in the market for an executive hire with the profile of Mitchell being seemingly ideal for the role.
