Manchester United have poached Omar Berrada, the Manchester City chief football operations officer who signed Erling Haaland, to be their new chief executive in the first major move by new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Berrada, 46, is a direct Ratcliffe appointment, identified as the football executive whom Ratcliffe and his fellow Ineos executives want to lead the Old Trafford revolution. Berrada has been a key figure in some of City’s major signings in recent years. As well as the complex deal for Haaland, signed despite competition from Real Madrid, Berrada has played a major role in landing the likes of Jack Grealish and looks likely to name United’s next sporting director.
Berrada has also played a major role in the successful City programme of developing and selling top academy graduates to generate funds to be reinvested in Pep Guardiola’s squad. Cole Palmer, James Trafford and Romeo Lavia are just a few of those who have earned lucrative fees.
Ratcliffe, who finalised Ineos’ acquisition of 29 per cent of United this month, discreetly went about identifying Berrada as the best candidate for the job in recent months. Berrada was then invited to Florida to meet the Glazer siblings, principally Joel, who quickly approved the appointment. He has resigned at City Football Group (CFG), the global network of 12 clubs of which City are the flagship, and is likely to start work at United sometime next season.
