Man Utd revolution illustrated by high-profile exit as Omar Berrada comes through the door
T
he announcement of Omar Berrada as Manchester United’s new CEO further suggests that big changes are set to come at Old Trafford in the coming months as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS look to put their stamp on the club and become more like the trophy machine the Spaniard is leaving: Manchester City.
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While that might remind fans of David Moyes’ infamous comments about “aspiring” to be like City nearly 10 years ago, it is now Manchester United’s reality.
Of course, nothing that City have achieved in the last 15 years would have been possible without their ownership by a human-rights abusing state, nor the 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
But, if we can put that to the side for one minute (quite the ask), it still cannot be denied that the blue side of Manchester have been the antithesis of their red counterparts in terms of organisational strategy, culture, structure and all of the other buzzwords.
As the City Football Group’s Chief Football Operating Officer for the last three-and-a-half years, and in roles with City for over a decade in total, Berrada has been an integral part of the club’s success.
Related video: Omar Berrada: Who is Manchester United’s new CEO? (Dailymotion)
How complicit he is in their alleged breaches is another question, and his appointment does raise further debate over whether City will actually be punished at all, but again, let’s try and park that for now.
In his impending role at Old Trafford, he will be one of the men tasked with steering United back in the right direction after over a decade of malaise and mismanagement.
Player recruitment has been a major part of that with the Glazers allowing bankers and accountants like Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold to make football decisions, and more recently, Erik ten Hag to dictate transfer dealings. Both models are unlike nearly any other serious club in the sport.
READ: Man Utd: Ten Hag favourite De Ligt tops ranking of Netherlands squad on Reds transfer chances
The most recent of the many, many signings in the last decade that has neatly summed up the difference between City and United is Casemiro, who looks set to make his return to Ten Hag’s first team this weekend.
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The Brazilian arrived at Old Trafford in August 2022 amid ongoing anti-Glazer protests and a dire start to Ten Hag’s reign. It was an obvious response to both: a panic buy like so many others before. A reported £70m and a five-year-contract on astronomical wages screamed short-term, expensive fix.
There was little doubt that the Brazilian would be an excellent player for United, and he absolutely was, at least for the vast majority of his first season.
However, most pundits also noted that United were overpaying in the extreme for a 30-year-old, with there being little chance of a true return on investment, and that has rung true in recent months at a rate quicker than nearly anyone could have predicted.
Injuries and Ten Hag’s tactics have not helped but it now seems certain he will be departing in the summer as part of the planned overhaul, and his departure should mark the end of the short-term and scattergun approach at Old Trafford.
Granted, United were in dire straits at the time of his arrival, it is not as simple as asking what City would have done in that situation, but there’s no chance a similar type of deal would ever have been done.
Firstly, it feels highly unlikely City would spend a summer chasing a player who made it clear he did not want to move clubs (in this case, Frenkie de Jong). Even if they did, they certainly would have had several back-ups in place that were of a similar type of player who was suitable for their manager’s style of play.
United had a Plan A and nothing else, which sounds a bit like Liverpool in the case of Virgil van Dijk, albeit the circumstances were a tad different. The Reds stuck to their guns and landed the player eventually, not willing to sacrifice either their long-term plan or huge sums of money for a quick fix.
Everything in the post-Fergie wilderness years has been looking for a quick fix, from the big-money purchases to the stop-gap January loan signings. None of it has worked, showing that money spent is not a true indicator of success; see Chelsea and PSG for further information.
The mess that the Glazers have made of the club over the last decade, and in the years prior to that in terms of the debt saddled on the club and more, will not be resolved in one summer.
There will be no quick fix at United but, at this point, surely every fan is willing to accept the short-term pain for the hope of long-term and sustainable gain.
Berrada and Casemiro will likely cross like ships in the night, never to be docked at the same time, but they could symbolise the changing of the guard at Old Trafford.
an Utd icon & former Lionel Messi teammate among 10 most valuable free agents in 2024
rmer Manchester United, Aston Villa and Leeds United stars are among the most valuable free agents across world football in 2024.
Players can end up on the free agents market for a number of reasons whether it’s down to bad fortune or simply just waiting for the right opportunity to come along.
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Using figures provided by Transfermarkt, we’ve found the 10 most valuable free agents who are all on the hunt for a new club right now.
10. Kostas Manolas – £2.1million
The Greek defender will always be fondly remembered for that goal against Barcelona back in 2018. Given his excellent football CV, we can’t imagine he’ll be out of the game for too long.
He most recently played for UAE outfit Sharjah, but had his contract cancelled by mutual consent earlier this month. A return to Europe could be on the cards.
9. Helder Costa – £2.4million
Leeds United splashed £15million on Costa back in 2020, but he’s not been up to much since then. He struggled to nail down a consistent starting spot at Elland Road and spent the last two seasons out on loan before his release last year.
Having only just turned 30, you’d imagine he’s still got some life in him yet. Costa isn’t the only former Leeds player without a club these days either.
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READ: 5 former Leeds players we can’t believe are still free agents
=4. Kellyn Acosta – £2.6million
Following a two-year stint with Los Angeles FC, Acosta now finds himself on the free agents market. According to The Athletic, the likes of Chicago Fire, Sporting KC and Colorado Rapids are all interested in his signature.
=4. Wuilker Farinez – £2.6million
At just 25 years old, Farinez is the youngest player on this list. The Venezuelan goalkeeper most recently played for Nice but had his contract terminated by mutual consent earlier this month.
Back in 2019, the goalkeeper was reportedly wanted by Barcelona, although it remains to be seen where his next club will be.Related video: Messi signs shirt for fan in middle of traffic (AS USA)
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=4. Anwar El Ghazi – £2.6million
The former Ajax and Aston Villa star now finds himself on the free-agent market. He most recently played for Mainz 05, but had his contract terminated due to the social media posts he made about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
El Ghazi is now said to be taking legal action against the German club for wrongful dismissal.
=4. Jamiro Monteiro – £2.6million
The Cape Verde midfielder has the chance to put himself in the shop window while playing at AFCON. He spent the last two years with San Jose Earthquakes and is now on the lookout for his next club.
=4. Josef Martinez – £2.6million
The Venezuelan forward built up a strong bond with Lionel Messi during their brief time together in Miami, but he had to make way for the incoming Luis Suarez.
Martinez has spent the last seven years playing in MLS and his next club is currently anyone’s guess.
3. Xeka – £4.3million
The Portuguese midfielder has had a tough time with injuries of late. He only managed nine appearances during his most recent stint with Rennes as a result of needing ankle surgery.
According to our friends at TEAMtalk, the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Sheffield United have all shown a strong interest in the free agent.
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2. Jesse Lingard – £5.1million
Despite being linked with plenty of clubs, Lingard is still on the free agent market, several months after his release from Nottingham Forest in the summer.
According to the Daily Mail, Lingard’s new agents have been exploring options in MLS, with Portland Timbers being named as a potential destination for the 31-year-old. Watch this space.
1. David De Gea – £6.9million
We can’t quite wrap our heads around the fact that De Gea is still without a club. Sure, he dropped a few blunders in his final days at United, but this is still the 2023-24 Golden Glove winner we’re talking about.
Despite seemingly having a number of options on the table, nothing has piqued De Gea’s interest so far. Surely it can’t be much longer until he finds himself a new club.
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