By John Wenham

3rd Feb, 2023 | 2:30pm

Tottenham expert reveals Fabio Paratici 'surprise' as ban looms

Agent were “surprised” to see Fabio Paratici conducting transfer business for Tottenham in January as a possible ban looms.

That is according to Spurs expert John Wenham, who regularly breaks news about the club on his Lilywhite Rose social media channels.

Paratici, who joined Spurs after 11 years at Juventus in 2021, is one of a number of former Juve executives who have received lengthy bans from Italian football for their involvement in the capital gains tax abuses.

As relayed by The Guardian on Monday (23 January), Spurs now fear that Fifa could extend the two-and-a-half-year ban globally, leaving the club without one of their most senior operators.

However, in the final days of the January transfer window, Paratici helped to push through the Pedro Porro deal and conducted an interview with club media on 1 February, as he explained the club’s transfer policy.

Wenham has been surprised to see so much of the Italian.

“It seems to be Tottenham are operating a business as usual policy with this,” Wenham told Football Insider correspondent Ben Wild.

“I know a few agents were surprised by his presence when dealing with Tottenham throughout the transfer window.

“He made clear in this interview that Porro was the club’s first-choice target so he was pleased with that. He also stressed that Tottenham are in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

“We will play Wrexham or Sheffield United for a place in the quarter-finals. We have to play AC Milan in the Champions League who just shipped five at home to a team I’ve never heard of.

“It’s not all doom and gloom is the point he was trying to make.

“In terms of his possible ban, it seems like Tottenham are just operating as they usually would.”

In other news, Gabby Agbonlahor can’t believe Richarlison latest after what he has seen at Tottenham.