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Manchester United have stunned the football world by reportedly poaching Omar Berrada from Manchester City and appointing him as the club's new CEO.
The Athletic's David Ornstein reports that Berrada is set to be named the Red Devils' new CEO. The Spaniard has resigned from his role as City's COO to take up the post at Old Trafford.
The move was INEOS-led and backed by the Glazers, and it's the most significant appointment under Sir Jim Ratcliffe's regime thus far. Berrada has developed a huge reputation for his work within City Football Group. He played a key role in bringing Erling Haaland to the Etihad in the summer of 2022.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Berrada has already signed his contract with Manchester United. He will oversee the 13-time Premier League champions' footballing and business operations.
Manchester City have already confirmed Berrada's resignation with a statement (via The Athletic):
"Manchester City Football Club can confirm that Omar Berrada has resigned from his role as chief football operations officer at City Football Group. The club understands his decision to look for a new challenge and he leaves with our thanks and best wishes."
Berrada was highly expected to replace City's current director of football Txiki Begiristain. He previously spent eight years working at La Liga giants Barcelona and has a proven track record of success.
Fans are stunned by the news. Many have concluded that it means the Cityzens will be penalized for their 115 charges for breaching financial regulations.
One fan was adamant that the Spaniard wanted to join the 'biggest club in Manchester':
"He wanted to join the biggest club in Manchester, fairs."
Here's how fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to the shocking claims that one of Pep Guardiola's key allies is headed to Old Trafford:
Omar Berrada reposted a telling article about Manchester United's post-Sir Alex Ferguson downfall
Manchester United have endured a fall from grace following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. They have failed to win the Premier League title and have won just four major trophies.
The first post-Ferguson campaign saw David Moyes take the reigns at Old Trafford. The Scottish coach didn't even last a year as the Red Devils faltered under his management.
Berrada intriguingly reposted an article from The Guardian at the time (2014) which touched on the club's nosedive during that period. The now-former City COO captioned it on his X account:
"Manchester United: how did they get into this mess?"
Manchester United have been through four permanent managers since Moyes: Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag. The latter is currently in charge of a stagnating United side.
The Red Devils sit seventh in the league, losing 14 games across competitions already this season. They crashed out of the UEFA Champions League in the group stages and were eliminated early in the Carabao Cup.
Thus, Berrada has a huge job on his hands in reigning United back into one of Europe's powerhouses. But, his work at the Etihad suggests he has all the tools to be a success in his new role.
