Omar Berrada is poised to have a significant say on a possible Manchester United managerial change in the close season.
Berrada is due to officially take over as the new United chief executive in the summer and it is understood he would be the de facto kingmaker on any decision taken over manager Erik ten Hag’s future.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe does not want to intervene to determine Ten Hag’s fate and intends to delegate to the football expertise of Berrada, who is on gardening leave at Manchester City. Berrada was City’s chief football operating officer until he defected to United in January.
The Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford has attended the majority of United’s matches since the petrochemicals group agreed to a 28% stakeholding in the club on Christmas Eve. Although Brailsford is conducting a thorough audit on United and sits on the football board, a well-placed source said he will not decide Ten Hag’s position.
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United would prefer that a settled structure oversees any managerial change but Dan Ashworth’s protracted arrival from Newcastle United is not thought to be imminent. John Murtough remains the football director but Ratcliffe glossed over his role in a round-table with journalists last month.
Ten Hag is expected to see out the season with United after an uplifting couple of weeks climaxed with a raucous FA Cup quarter-final victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford on March 17.
United have drawn Championship side Coventry in the semi-final, fuelling the possibility of a second successive all-Manchester FA Cup final on May 25.
United’s last Premier League fixture – a win against Everton – preceded a defeat and a draw for fourth-placed Aston Villa and a listless 3-0 loss at Fulham for fifth-placed Tottenham.
Villa are nine points clear of United, who have a game in hand, and fifth could secure qualification for the Champions League if England finish in the top two for Uefa’s season country coefficients. Italy and Germany currently occupy first and second but five English clubs reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
United are operating under the working assumption Ten Hag will remain in charge next season. The Dutchman has been involved in the planning for the pre-season tour of the United States and recruitment ahead of the summer transfer window.
Berrada cannot officially represent United until the summer but he has held discreet internal and external meetings while on gardening leave. United are respectful of City, who were described as “grown up” by Ratcliffe when Ineos approached them about Berrada.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
