Technical director Baldini leaves Tottenham

Franco-Baldini;-Tottenham-Hotspur;-Premier-League

Franco Baldini, a former assistant coach with England's national team, joined Tottenham in June 2013 as technical director, which involved being in charge of recruitment. (Jon Super/AP)

LONDON — The man who oversaw Tottenham’s largely unsuccessful reinvestment of the proceeds of Gareth Bale’s world-record move to Real Madrid in 2013 has left the Premier League club.

Tottenham says Franco Baldini has left his role as technical director "to spend time outside of club football."

Baldini, a former assistant coach with England’s national team, joined Tottenham in June 2013 as technical director, which involved being in charge of recruitment. Bale was sold for 100 million euros (then $132 million) and replaced with a slew of players costing a combined $180 million.

Four of them — Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and Vlad Chiriches — have been sold for reduced fees while Argentine forward Erik Lamela, who cost a club-record 30 million pounds (then $40 million), hasn’t excelled.

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