Tottenham fans have been left fuming after the club appointed former Arsenal official Vinai Venkatesham as their new chief executive officer.
Spurs announced the news on Friday, with the 44-year-old set to take over the role in the summer, having previously spent over a decade at their bitter rivals.
Venkatesham joined the Gunners in 2010 and held various jobs before becoming their CEO in 2020.
He served in this capacity for around four years before departing the Emirates at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
But after a year out from the game, Venkatesham has now crossed the north London divide to make his return to football.
The former Arsenal chief will oversee all operational matters at Tottenham, both on and off the pitch, and is expected to work closely with chairman Daniel Levy.
A statement from the club read: “We are delighted to announce that Vinai Venkatesham will be joining the Club’s Board as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the summer.
“Vinai brings expertise in both sporting and commercial operations, having previously served as the CEO at Arsenal Football Club.
“Prior to this Vinai was part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and is currently a non-executive director of the British Olympic Association.
“He was formerly a member of the Board and Executive Committee of the European Club Association (ECA).”
On his appointment, Venkatesham told the club: “I’m excited to be joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
“After taking some time to recharge and evaluate my options, I believe this is an exceptional opportunity to work with Daniel, the Board and all of the staff, to take the Club forward.”
