Manchester United’s Omar Berrada: The Man Behind the Revival
In a candid interview with The Athletic, Omar Berrada, Manchester United’s chief executive officer, shared his vision for the club’s future, revealing a clear roadmap for success. Berrada, who took the helm in January 2024, has a wealth of experience in football, having worked at Barcelona and Manchester City.
Berrada’s appointment was a significant coup for Manchester United, and he has wasted no time in making his mark. He was instrumental in bringing in Ruben Amorim as the club’s new manager, a decision led by the technical team. According to Berrada, Amorim was given time to get to know the squad, the club, and the Premier League, with the aim of building a team capable of winning the league in the next few years.
"We have a very clear roadmap of how we’re going to get there," Berrada explained. "Had Ruben started on July 1, 2025, we wouldn’t have been able to have all that knowledge, right? And that’s what I feel these seven or eight months that he’s had. He’s suffered in the Premier League, and the team has suffered. That’s why I feel that it’s really going to help us in the future."
Berrada drew parallels with Pep Guardiola’s first season at Manchester City, where he struggled but was given time to adapt. "Very much so," Berrada said. "Pep stuck to his principles and given what he’d won, he had an enormous amount of credit in the bank. He was allowed that first year to be below-par by his standards. The club backed him that summer, the team started winning and created this winning cycle that lasted until this season."
Despite a difficult season for Manchester United, Berrada remains optimistic about the club’s prospects. "We’ve taken all the short-term pain in this season, but as of this summer, the worst bit is going to be behind us," he said. "We will have settled the management team; we will have settled the coaching team with the technical team around them. And on the football side, there’s a clear idea of what we want to do, what players we want to get, how we want to see the team playing."
One of Berrada’s most notable targets is ‘Project 150’, a set of milestones the club aims to achieve by its 150th anniversary in 2028. These include winning the Premier League and Women’s Super League titles. While some may view these targets as ambitious, Berrada is confident that they can be achieved. "Of course," he replied. "We’ve just finished 15th and it seems like an impossible task. But why not aim for it? Why not do everything in our power?"
Berrada’s experience at Barcelona, where he saw the club transform from also-rans to European champions, gives him hope for Manchester United. "I firmly believe that we can do it," he said. "We have two or three summer windows to build a team to start competing to win the Premier League, and if we can achieve it before then, we’ll all be happy."
In the transfer market, Berrada revealed that Manchester United will be "active" this summer, with a focus on bringing in players who fit Amorim’s vision. The club has already made one significant signing, Matheus Cunha, who has joined for £62.5million from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Berrada was effusive in his praise for Cunha, comparing him to Eric Cantona, one of the club’s greatest signings.
"He’s a player that I think fans are going to love," Berrada said. "We can talk about his technical abilities and he can play in three different positions. He’s a playmaking attacking midfielder; he can score goals, he can make assists. I think he’s going to lift people off their seats. He’s got a bit of a swagger about him that people are going to really like."
Berrada also addressed the issues surrounding the club’s staff and fans, apologizing for the handling of redundancies and the decision to scrap concession prices. "What I accept is that the way it was rolled out was not good," he said. "I raise my hand, I’m responsible for that decision."
As for the future, Berrada is clear that Manchester United must operate on a profitable basis, while still competing for trophies. He has a "very good relationship" with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the INEOS founder and United’s co-owner, and is confident that the club can achieve its goals.
With his intelligence, experience, and passion for football, Berrada is well-equipped to lead Manchester United’s revival. As he said, "We want an attractive attacking style of football, but Johan Cruyff played with 3-4-3 and nobody said it was defensive. So I wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about the formation and thinking more about the identity and the style of play that Ruben is trying to put in place."
This article is sourced from The Athletic.
