Tottenham Lead Data Scientist Satikova leaves to join Ludonautics

Before moving into football, Satikova worked as a Data Scientist for IT services and consultancy giant Accenture and as a Management Information Analyst at British Gas. The UCL graduate completed her Master’s in Financial Risk Management in 2017.

Tottenham are currently advertising on TGG for a Lead Data Scientist to replace Satikova.

The successful candidate will develop advanced statistical and machine learning models to generate innovative metrics and insights on player and team performance, manage the full modelling lifecycle, and undertake research projects that “shape club strategy and decision-making.”

The ad calls for a Master’s or higher degree in a quantitative discipline, expert knowledge of Python and/or R, proficiency in SQL, and experience with cloud computing environments such as Google Cloud Platform and machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch.

Spurs are also recruiting a Full Stack Engineer to join a “newly formed Football Systems team” embedded within the same department. According to the ad, the role will build the internal applications and “data-heavy tools used daily by analysts, scouts, coaches, the medical team and football leadership.”

The club are investing heavily in their data department (more to come on this next week), with the work sitting within the Football Insights and Strategy department. This has been a priority since Sporting Director Johan Lange arrived at the club in November 2023.

The Insights unit is headed by Lange’s compatriot Frederik Leth, the Head of Football Insights and Strategy, whose team provide data-derived insights across the club, from first team to Academy and including both the men’s and women’s teams.

Ludonautics was founded in 2023 by Graham, who served as Liverpool’s Director of Research from 2012 to 2023 and is credited with building the Premier League’s strongest data science department.

The business offers data-driven player recruitment, performance analysis, manager recruitment, financial modelling and club valuation. Satikova’s arrival follows a period of movement at the firm.

David Perdomo Meza, who had joined Ludonautics in April 2024, left to return to analytics company Twenty3 as a Director in the New Year.

Satikova will be presenting on Day One of TGG Live 2026, our flagship Conference, which takes place at Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium on September 29th and 30th.