Manchester United fans were undoubtedly chuffed to hear that their club had appointed a new CEO as new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe proceeds to build his new executive team over the weekend, but there’s already been a dampener on spirits after they dug up some old tweets.
Well, this is awkward.
Having poached the former chief operations officer (COO) directly from rivals Manchester City, Omar Berrada was never going to arrive at Old Trafford with a totally clean slate, but the news on Saturday, 20 January did feel like somewhat of a coup given his success down the road.
However, Man United supporters wouldn’t have been hoping to unearth a selection of unfavourable tweets about their beloved Reds from Berrada barely a day into the job which makes his appointment as CEO feel like less than a match made in heaven.
The first of several unfortunate tweets from Man United’s new CEO.
Yes, it might be over a decade old (as most of them are) but the 45-year-old took aim at the very greatest moment in the club’s history and it’s never going to rub fans the right way, is it?
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On the other hand, giving him the benefit of the doubt, many people have agreed that Sir Alex Ferguson‘s side was far from their best during the game and that it was merely the nature of the late comeback that was so remarkable.
So, trying to be as objective as you can, perhaps you can brush this one off relatively easily.
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The only problem is that this is by no means the only one.
Ok, far from the best look for a club’s new CEO but he was already at City during this time, joining as head of international business development before moving on to director of partnership sales; senior vice president group commercial director, then COO and finally a senior role in City Football Group.
He was hardly going to be singing United’s praises whilst employed by one of their closest and most historic rivals.
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If you were willing to give him even more rope, you could also argue that what he said at the time was bang on: there’s almost no other era that defines the post-Ferguson decline at the club than Moyes’ tenure and we’re sure you’d find most fans would agree.
Yes, while he might not strictly be a Chelsea fan per se, he certainly wasn’t a United fan back in the day and made that abundantly clear on social media. The reaction from most Reds is as you would expect; “Berrada we need to talk about those old tweets big chief” pretty much summed everything up.
While there are plenty of players, managers and staff in general that put their childhood allegiances aside to make it in the professional football business — even Ratcliffe himself has been reported as a Chelsea fan at heart — I guess it comes down to a matter of how many of these you’re willing to brush off.
At the end of the day, any modern-day football fan can be under no illusions that Berrada sees this as anything more than another job which he’s been offered enough money to take.
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As his LinkedIn reads, he’s been “responsible for managing and optimising group football operations for almost 100 teams across 11 clubs on five continents.” United are quite literally just one in a dozen.
One thing that can be said is that he served as part of one of the most successful executive teams in world football over at the Etihad, having helped take care of the business side of things as they picked up trophy after trophy.
On the other hand, as journalist Simon Bajkowski was quick to point out, “It’s as correct to say that United getting Omar Berrada from City is a coup as it is to say that Berrada is firmly implicated in City’s alleged wrongdoing.”
How Man United’s new CEO navigates the reaction not only to these tweets but the ongoing case against the Blues will factor hugely into how steady/unstable a start to life with the Red Devils — you only have to look at history to see how the likes of Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold fared.
Fans are also keeping a keen eye on the rest of the newly installed INEOS team, with one character in particular posing an interesting prospect for the future of the rebuild.
Featured Images — Hays Worldwide (via YouTube)/The Manc Group
Sport
Manchester United have been linked with a move for a Real Madrid legend
Danny Jones
Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing football legend and former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, over a decade on from the last time he was linked with the club.
Yes, after the notion of signing the Spanish defender first cropped circa 2009, and then again in 2015 (that time with the possibility of David de Gea famously going the other way), the European footballing veteran is set to be pursued by a number of teams next month.
One might even consider a third turn around the ‘could he?’ carousel towards the same club, not unlike the Wesley Sneijder-Man United equivalent of the transfer rumour mill.
Nevertheless, it appears as if it’s come round once again, though it remains to be seen just whether or not the story has any serious legs.
According to Spanish news outlet and radio station, Cadena SER, Sergio Ramos is now being eyed up for a potential move to Manchester, and the idea of him finally donning a United shirt might not be so far-fetched after all.
Now 39 years old and having personally announced that he won’t be signing a new deal at CF Monterrey, he will soon be available as a free agent in the upcoming January transfer window.
Ramos, a World Cup and Euros winner – not to mention serial La Liga and Champions League trophy collector – joined the Mexican club back in February after more than 16 years with the European giants, but his contract runs out at the end of this December.
Despite being set to enter his 40s and already well into the second decade of his professional career, the latest is that the Red Devils have now put forward a ‘formal offer’ to reunite the established, serial winner and senior star with his former and equally decorated teammate, Casemiro.
🚨🚨🌖| BREAKING: Manchester United have formally put forward an offer to bring Sergio Ramos to Old Trafford in the January window. [@La_SER via @goal] pic.twitter.com/QpOlL4izk2
It goes without saying that not only will numerous teams be throwing their hat in the ring to sign Ramos this January, but any side would benefit from having such a strong and experienced leadership presence in the dressing room, let alone Ruben Amorim‘s squad.
Better still, bringing in a player of his calibre on a free will be seen as an absolute coup by whoever eventually secures his signature.
However, as per GOAL (who also shared the claims made by Cadena SER earlier this week), while the Spaniard is said to have no intention of hanging up his boots just yet and still wants to try and compete at the top level, it is thought he would like a second return to Sevilla.
The belief is that when Ramos does retire, it will be back at his boyhood club – but before that, we couldn’t really be about to see him in the red of a Man United shirt… could we?
A short train ride away to Cheshire, and being a big Man United fan basically counts, if you ask us.
Yes, Warrington’s very own Luke Littler has been named on the shortlist for the 2025 Sports Personality of the Year, quite literally 12 months from his previous nomination.
Littler, who is still only 18, did go on to win the 2024 Young SPOTY last December – a very decent consolation prize following his blockbuster debut year or so – but he has been tipped as a bookies’ favourite this time around.
He’s also been voted for that award again this year, so you’d hope he’d be walking away with at least one of the trophies, though it’d be far from his only one of late.
Since then, the young sporting prodigy has gone on to win all but two of the 10 PDC majors, including two Premier League Darts titles.
In fact, if you want to look at how his arrival onto the senior professional darts circuit breaks down, you can take a gander at the frankly staggering stats behind his breakthrough down below.
As you can see, other nominees include former Manchester City Women’s star Chloe Kelly and Lioness, Hannah Hampton; rugby union and national team member, Ellie Kildunne, F1 favourite Lando Norris, as well as Irish golfer, Rory McIlroy (not for the first time).
We’ll confess we’re very much biased and backing local lad Littler – sue us.
The other Young SPOTY nominees for 2025 include another rising England star in Michelle Agyemang and Northern Superchargers cricket talent, Davina Perrin.
Being hosted over at MediaCityUK in Salford once again, voting will take place during the show on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer on Thursday, 18 December.
Danny Jones -
22nd January 2024 
