Tottenham are seeking to fill a vacancy in its sporting director setup following Fabio Paratici’s departure in February 2026 (he joined Fiorentina). Reports indicate Spurs want Sebastian Kehl to work alongside existing technical director Johan Lange on a squad rebuild, particularly ahead of the summer transfer window. Discussions have taken place, but no formal offer or appointment has been confirmed yet. Kehl has not decided whether to return to work immediately or take more time off.
Sebastian Kehl is the leading candidate and in discussions for a co-sporting director role at the club.
Playing career: Born in 1980, Kehl is a former German defensive midfielder. He played primarily for SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund (2002–2015), where he was a long-time captain. He won multiple titles with Dortmund, including Bundesliga championships, and earned 31 caps for Germany, appearing in the 2002 World Cup final and Euro 2004.
Post-playing roles at Dortmund: After retiring in 2015, he stayed with BVB in various football operations roles. In 2022, he succeeded Michael Zorc as sporting director, holding the position until March 2026 (when he parted ways with the club).
Reputation: Tottenham’s board reportedly values his experience as a player, his management skills, and his extensive international network in football. Some coverage has analysed his signings at Dortmund (with mixed results in terms of hits and misses during the club’s transition period).
In short, as things stand, Kehl is a prominent external candidate Tottenham are targeting for a key football operations or director position to help reshape the squad.
Our view
Kehl served as Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director from summer 2022 until his departure in March 2026. His recruitment record during that period is widely viewed as mixed, with several strong value signings and defensive successes, but also inconsistencies, underperforming big investments, and criticism that Dortmund lost its edge in spotting and developing elite young talents early.
Overall, analyses note a net transfer spend that wasn’t disastrous (some sources cite a modest loss or near-break-even when accounting for sales), but the hit rate on high-profile or expensive arrivals was uneven, contributing to internal doubts and to his exit amid broader power struggles at the club.
For a club in as much confusion as Sours are, it might be prudent to look for a safer pair of hands, used to this country’s game.
