Tottenham Hotspur have dismissed chief scout Ian Broomfield.
The decision to remove Broomfield as head of recruitment - jointly taken by new coach Andre Villas-Boas and the club chairman Daniel Levy - is part of a broader plan to modernise and improve the London-based Tottenham's sporting infrastructure.
Broomfield had been one of the last survivors of the Harry Redknapp-led regime that Levy decided could take the club no further last season.
Formally appointed as Tottenham's chief scout in the summer of 2009, he quickly sacked predecessor Mel Johnson, who was forced to take action against the club for unfair dismissal.
A former professional footballer who took up a career as a police detective before returning to the game full-time to scout for George Graham and David O'Leary, Broomfield had also scouted for Redknapp at Portsmouth.
Extravagant transfer market activity at Leeds United and Portsmouth were followed by administration at both clubs.
Broomfield's limited involvement in Tottenham's summer transfer business had seen the 61 year old inquire about positions elsewhere in England. Should the out-of-work Redknapp succeed in finding a new job in the Premier League, Broomfield will be favoured to renew their partnership.
Villas-Boas, himself an accomplished former scout, and Levy have yet to decide on Broomfield's replacement. Paul Senior, Tottenham's academy co-ordinator of scouting, resigned his position last month.
Informed observers were surprised that Tottenham did not work harder to retain the well-regarded Senior, who immediately joined Charlton Athletic as the Championship club's head of recruitment.