Unlike Mourinho, Arnesen's job is not entirely dependent on the short-term performance of the first team. He is a director of football - described as sporting director even though Spurs don't play any other sports - whose primary responsibility is the club's longterm health.
So, while of course he is working with head coach Martin Jol to bolster Spurs' bid for a UEFA Cup place this season, the Dane is also planning for the future.
Fully aware that while Spurs remain bereft of Champions League football, they don't have the cash, or cachet, to attract the top echelon of European players, Arnesen is thinking laterally.
The theory goes that if he can utilise the contacts he built up during a successful tenure at PSV Eindhoven to sign the continent's best emerging talent, Spurs will end up with Champions Leaguequality players for Championshipsized transfer fees.
In practice, and given that he clearly does not rate many of the players inherited from David Pleat's ill-fated spell as director of football, this means Arnesen is effectively building two squads - an oven-ready version for Martin Jol and a fresher batch that requires further preparation time.
The latest outfield recruits can be divided between two camps. On-loan Roma striker Mido, Republic of Ireland star Andy Reid, former England Under-21 captain Michael Dawson and Finland international Teemo Tainio are all ripe for the first team.
Whereas, Czech midfielder David Limbersky, 21, Icelandic playmaker Emil Hallfredsson, 20, Moroccan striker Mounir El Hamdaoui, 20, and Derby midfielder Tom Huddlestone, 18, who is set to sign in the summer, join the shadow squad.
Spurs indeed have high hopes for their elite band of youngsters, which already includes Brazilian Rodrigo Defendi, former Coventry centre-back Calum Davenport and promising full-back Phil Ifil. Winger Reto Ziegler was bought from Grasshopper as an 18-yearold development player, but has made such an impact that he is already established in the first team.
And, with Arnesen declaring himself "very satisfied" with Spurs' January business, the policy seems to be working so far.
However, there remain a number of potential pitfalls. Clearly, the reason prospects such as Huddlestone, Davenport and El Hamdaoui have come to Spurs' attention is because someone at their previous club has given them the chance to shine in the first team. For example, Huddlestone has already played 80 games for Derby.
At Spurs - with their 36-strong squad - first-team opportunities will be very limited, which means there is a danger of creating a glass ceiling for the emerging talent.
It's not as if the Spurs' first team is an ageing one. Noureddine Naybet is their only player aged over 30, while stars such as Michael Carrick, Ledley King and Jermain Defoe are still short of their peak.
With few obvious holes, particularly through the spine of the team, members of the shadow squad could end up playing more games on loan than they do at White Hart Lane.
Another concern relates more directly to Jol's team. While Arnesen focuses on some undetermined spot on the horizon, there is a risk of the club failing to seize the moment.
The battle for the final Champions League spot is the most open for years and, before the transfer window, in-form Spurs were one of several clubs in contention.
Some fans have suggested that rather than simply accepting another season of transition and building for the future, Spurs should have instead gambled their money on a star player who could have galvanised a dramatic bid for the top four.
That is, of course, not the Arnesen way, so Spurs fans must now hope that the man who, while at PSV, nurtured Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben can unearth some new gems in north London.
