Manchester United have started the Ineos era with a major coup after poaching Manchester City’s chief executive.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has succeeded in hiring City chief Omar Berrada, who will start work in the summer.
Berrada had been at City for more than a decade, and the club’s statement declared a focus on bringing attention to football performance above everything else – which has been badly lacking at Manchester United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
The reaction to Manchester United’s move has been positive, with supporters delighted at the decision, which represents the start of a new era for the club.
Reaction to Manchester United hiring Omar Berrada
Omar Berrada could help revolutionise Manchester United, he already represents a clear upgrade on former CEO Richard Arnold.
The move has also been described as the club’s most important in a decade, bigger than any player arrival.
This claim was made by former Premier League star Robbie Earle, a pundit for NBC Sports.
Earle told the channel: “This could be one of the biggest signings Manchester United have had in the last 10 years.
“This guy isn’t going to score 20 goals and he isn’t going to stop 20 goals, but the importance of having top class executives, a best in class executive, who can come in, who can shape this football club, is huge.
“We’re talking back to the Peter Kenyon days and the David Gill days when we see the team’s success, whatever’s happened on the football pitch has always mirrored off it. Manchester United have been quite shambolic off it in many regards over the past few years.
“Bringing someone like Berrada in, who knows the job, whose ambitious, who knows all that’s gone on at Manchester City and where that success has come from, they’ve done it quickly and they’ve done it discreetly. Its a great first mark for Jim Ratcliffe and his ownership of the football club.”
Manchester United Berrada move came together quickly
Manchester United’s move for Omar Berrada came together quickly, with Ineos decisive in managing to get their man.
The Mail report initial talks for Berrada took place in December, with HITC Football reporting Jean-Claude Blanc was key in identifying the Manchester City man as a candidate.
It was an ambitious move simply to target Berrada and raise the prospect of him swapping City for United, and it is even more impressive to have pulled it off.
Ineos are determined to put together the best possible backroom team, to give United the best possible chance of restoring former glories on the pitch.
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