Man United's new CEO Omar Berrada reveals secrets behind success at rivals Man City as he insists off-field structure is crucial to performance on the pitch and warns overspending on transfers is a 'slippery slope'

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Manchester United’s new chief executive, Omar Berrada, has revealed the secrets behind the success at fierce rivals Manchester City, insisting that a savvy off-field structure is crucial for guaranteeing success on the pitch.

Berrada was sensationally poached from his role as chief football operations officer at the City Football Group earlier this month and is expected to officially begin work at Old Trafford this summer. He currently remains on gardening leave.

In a bullish statement, United said Berrada’s shock arrival signalled the beginning of their attempt to restore the club as a heavyweight on the world stage, a push fronted by Sir Jim Ratcliffe after a deal to purchase a 25 per cent stake was reached.

Speaking to the Financial Times while still in post at City last November, Berrada, who spent over a decade at the Etihad and previously worked at Barcelona, also warned that overspending on transfers and wages is a ‘slippery slope’ for clubs.

He explained City’s success was ‘by design, not by luck’ and added that, with a strong structure supporting the team and coaches, ‘success on the pitch will come’.

Manchester United's new CEO Omar Berrada insists an off-field structure is crucial to success

Manchester United’s new CEO Omar Berrada insists an off-field structure is crucial to success

Sir Jim Ratcliffe (left) will hope to transform United back into a title-winning heavyweight

Sir Jim Ratcliffe (left) will hope to transform United back into a title-winning heavyweight

United have been accused of lacking identity and are enduring yet another horror season

United have been accused of lacking identity and are enduring yet another horror season

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‘Our job is to ensure that we’ve created a structure, this ecosystem around everything that we’re doing now to make it as consistent as possible so when there is a downwards cycle, we make it as short as possible,’ Berrada said.

City recorded a jaw-dropping annual revenue of £712million in the 2022/23 season, a figure that dwarfed United’s £648m, and Berrada believes the achievements of Pep Guardiola’s side were directly connected to the filling of the club’s coffers.

‘The commercial growth of the clubs is predicated or underpinned by success on the pitch,’ Berrada added. ‘If you have a really good business strategy alongside it, then it just turbocharges the growth off the pitch.’

Intriguingly, his view is a stark contrast to former United CEO Ed Woodward, who once told financial analysts that ‘playing performance doesn’t really have a meaningful impact on what we can do on the commercial side of the business’.

United have been criticised for lacking identity on the pitch, with Erik ten Hag’s strugglers sitting eighth in the Premier League and crashing out of the Champions League in the group stage. Conversely, City have been praised for a clear blueprint.

Indeed, during his time at his previous club, Berrada worked closely with City Football Group chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak and City executives Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain to ensure transfers complemented Guardiola’s playing style.

Berrada has warned clubs against overspending (pictured: Antony, who joined for over £80m)

Berrada has warned clubs against overspending (pictured: Antony, who joined for over £80m)

Ed Woodward insisted playing performance did not have an effect on United's commercial side

Ed Woodward insisted playing performance did not have an effect on United’s commercial side

Erik ten Hag is under pressure to reverse United's fortunes with his side eighth in the top-flight

Erik ten Hag is under pressure to reverse United’s fortunes with his side eighth in the top-flight

According to transfermarkt, United’s net spend in the five seasons up to 2022-23 amounted to over €600m (£512m), a figure second only to Chelsea. They have also failed to make a profit since the Covid pandemic and struggled to offload big names.

Berrada believes clubs overpaying in the market can inflict long-term damage.

‘If you have a very solid rationale as to why you’re offering the fee, the salary and the commission, they might not agree with it but they will accept it,’ he said.

‘Once you start overpaying then you lose that argument and that puts you in a much more difficult position to say to the next one, “I can only offer you this.”‘

United return to action against Newport County in the FA Cup this evening.

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