Manchester City chief resigns to take up Manchester United CEO role

Manchester United are set to name Omar Berrada as their new CEO, in a move viewed by Old Trafford bosses as a major coup from their cross-town rivals.

Berrada – who is currently in the position of chief football operations officer at the City Football Group – works closely with Manchester City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain on areas including transfers and contracts.

It is widely understood that Berrada was involved in the high-profile signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, and his exit could present a problem position for Manchester City to fill in the coming months.

Berrada had worked as commercial director for City Football Marketing before being promoted to chief operating officer at Manchester City in 2016, originally joining the reigning Premier League champions from Barcelona in 2011.

Now, as per the information of The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Manchester United are set to pull off a move viewed by many to be a significant surprise in the game as they appoint Omar Berrada from Manchester City as their new chief executive.

A Manchester City statement to The Athletic on Saturday night confirming the news read, “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.”

In immediate reaction from journalists close to Manchester City, Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News reports that while the Premier League champions are ‘sad’ to see him go, they are ‘confident’ in their existing team led by Txiki Begiristain, Ferran Soriano and co.

Manchester City are claimed to see the move as ‘validation of their success’, that another club is ‘poaching one of their staff to try and catch up with them’.

Berrada’s services to Manchester City followed a successful period with FC Barcelona, where he spent almost eight years in positions such as Senior Media Business Development Manager and Head of Sponsorship.

In an introduction to Berrada’s talents on the City Football Leadership Institute website, an entry reads, “Omar is Chief Football Operations Officer at City Football Group overseeing talent management, performance services, and football intelligence for the Group.

“Prior to this Omar was Chief Operating Officer of Manchester City Football Club, having been promoted in September 2016 from Commercial Director for City Football Marketing. Omar also worked at FC Barcelona for almost eight years, as a Senior Media Business Development Manager and as the Head of Sponsorship, during a very successful era for the Catalan club.

“Omar’s expertise in football operations, sponsorship and media rights reflects over 18 years of senior-level experience in the sports industry and five years in the telecommunications sector.