Tottenham star reveals Fabio Paratici is like a ‘father’ figure to him at Hotspur Way

One Spurs star has admitted that Fabio Paratici has been of immense help to him since he arrived at Tottenham as a youngster.

Tottenham paid just £15m to land Udogie from Udinese, and it was clear as soon as he set foot on the pitch in a white shirt that Spurs had got a huge bargain.

While injuries have curtailed his progress over the last 18 months, at 23 years of age, the Italian still has the vast majority of his career ahead of him.

It was Fabio Paratici who spearheaded Tottenham’s signing of Udogie, and the left-back has now explained the role that the Spurs sporting director has played in his career.

Destiny Udogie says Fabio Paratici has been like a father at Tottenham

Paratici was not at Tottenham in an official capacity for the last two years before returning to the club again recently as a sporting director.

However, the Italian was working as a consultant for the North London club during that time, and Udogie has now revealed that the role the 53-year-old has played in making him feel at home at the club.

Destiny Udogie told The Athletic: “He (Paratici) told me it’s the best league, he said it’s never going to be easy but he prepared me for it. And I think it’s going well.

“He’s like a big father because we speak every day. When he signed me, I stayed at Udinese (on loan) for one year, so we didn’t speak that much, but as soon as I came to the club, we became close, and he’s helping me a lot today.”

Udogie pleased by how his ‘big brother’ at Spurs has responded to criticism

The left-back has admitted that he is also close to the other Italian at Hotspur Way, Guglielmo Vicario, referring to the goalkeeper as a ‘big brother’.

Vicario was booed by the Tottenham fans after his mistake against Fulham last week, but Destiny Udogie was delighted to see how the 29-year-old responded with a big performance at St James’ Park.

When asked about what the goalkeeper has had to go through recently, the former Udinese man said: “Obviously, it’s never easy when the fans turn against you. It’s always a big challenge, but obviously he’s a grown man and an experienced keeper.

“So he was really strong. Against Newcastle, he showed he’s a great keeper. He’s old enough (to deal with it). He’s a good guy, incredible. We live close to each other, and every day we speak. He’s really like a big brother to me.”

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“Last season I was more like an inverted full-back,” he says. “This season, I’m wide. It’s different but I feel more comfortable now because it’s my natural position. So that’s good.

“I feel more like now I understand the league now, I understand the game,” Udogie adds. “The rhythm, the quality of the players, the intensity. I think almost everything (about the Premier League) is hard. Every year, you have to be ready. It’s never easy but I’m getting there.”

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“I think I’m in my best spell right now where I feel strong, I feel really good, I feel healthy,” he says. “I just want to stay fit, keep going and help the team. I feel like I’m getting to a rhythm. I just have to keep going and take care of my body every day.”

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