Omar Berrada’s appointment as Manchester United’s new chief executive, in Gary Neville’s opinion, is a significant step forward, and the team will shortly reveal two more crucial appointments.
With Berrada’s appointment at United, the Red Devils made the first significant move under the leadership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team—appointing him to from rival Manchester City.
The Spaniard joined the Eithad hierarchy in 2011, leaving Barcelona to move to the Premier League club.
It is the first of several significant adjustments to be made to United’s football operations off the field, including the reorganisation of the club’s hiring division and the anticipated appointment of a sporting director.
Speaking on United’s decision to appoint Berrada at Old Trafford, the former United player Gary Neville applauded the hiring, saying it shows the club wants to mend fences with its fans.
While speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said: ‘It’s a big job to be CEO of Manchester United and you think of all the things he’s got to go at.
‘But I think there are also some easy wins. Straight away the communication, having that voice the club have not had in the last 10 years is really important. He can form part of a new management structure that can build trust with the fans and everyone that is watching the club.
‘They’ve not had someone who has operated in football for a long time and that is really important. It’s a big task and all eyes are going to be on him. He’s had a brilliant grounding at Manchester City and Barcelona.
‘It looks like Man Utd are making more sound decisions and look like they are on the right track.’
As part of a “triangle of appointments” that the club desperately needs, Neville thinks Berrada will soon be joined by a new head of recruiting and a sporting director, with Newcastle United’s Dan Ashworth being considered for the latter role.
‘Jim Ratcliffe was not going to come in and not disrupt things and that was obvious,’ Neville continued.
‘They haven’t got a CEO at the minute because Richard Arnold stepped down, they haven’t got a sporting director and they haven’t got a notable head of recruitment.
‘Those are three roles whereby most owners are most exposed with the money that gets spent on players. It’s part of a triangle of appointments I would expect to see in the next few months.’
