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Manchester United has made a successful move in the first significant hiring during Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s time, by naming Omar Berrada from Manchester City as their new chief executive.
Ineos suggested the recommendation, which was supported by the board. They have been searching for a replacement for Richard Arnold since his departure last year.
Despite initial anticipation for Jean-Claude Blanc to assume the role of CEO, he has chosen to remain with Ratcliffe’s broader sports organization. As a result, United turned to Berrada, who had reportedly been considered for the position for several months.
The Catalan played a significant role at City, and the decision has sparked discussions about how the Abu Dhabi-owned club has hired multiple executives from Barcelona, who were once the top football team in the world. This approach led Berrada to join City in 2011 as the commercial director, and he was later promoted to chief operating officer at the club and chief football operations officer at City Football Group.
The executive will now hold a key position at Old Trafford and be a part of the board, after having worked extensively on important football matters such as player signings. The decision to appoint Berrada has garnered newfound respect for Manchester United, as there was considerable surprise within the industry.
Berrada had been employed by Barcelona for a period of eight years, primarily in the role of sponsorship manager.
On Saturday (20 January), Manchester United released a statement stating that Omar Berrada has been appointed as the club’s new CEO. The focus of the club is to prioritize football and on-field performance in all its operations, and this appointment marks the first step towards achieving this goal.
“As one of the most experienced football executives at the top of European football, Omar brings a wealth of football and commercial expertise, with a proven record of successful leadership and a passion to help lead change across the Club. He is currently serving as Chief Football Operations Officer for City Football Group overseeing 11 clubs across five continents and, prior to this, held senior roles at Barcelona.
Our ultimate goal is to restore Manchester United as a champion team. We are delighted to have Omar on board to assist us in reaching this objective. This will allow United fans to witness, as Sir Matt Busby put it, the red flag triumphantly flying at the top of English, European, and global football once again.
“Omar’s start date will be confirmed in due course; in the meantime, Patrick Stewart will continue as interim CEO.”
Ratcliffe is currently awaiting approval to pass the Owners and Directors Test for the Premier League.
The information is from the Independent newspaper.
The source of the data is the Independent publication.
