Ex- Man City Star says Manchester United have just pulled off a ‘masterstroke’
Jolean Lescott worked alongside Omar Berrada at Man City and the former England international thinks Manchester United have performed a ‘masterstroke’ hiring the CEO from their Premier League rivals.
It didn’t take long, in the aftermath of Omar Berrada’s shock appointment on Saturday evening, for those Tweets to emerge. In one, for instance, Berrada wondered how Manchester United had got themselves in such a ‘mess’ on and off the pitch, bungling their Sir Alex Ferguson succession during a disastrous 2013/14 season under David Moyes.
10 years on, the former Man City chief arrives at Old Trafford in the hope of clearing up that ‘mess’ once and for all.
Leicester City v Manchester City – Carabao Cup: Quarter Final
Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Manchester United snatch Omar Berrada from Man City
“Manchester United hiring Omar Berrada from Manchester City as their new chief executive looks like a masterstroke,” Lescott, a two-time Premier League winner at the Etihad, tells LiveScore.
“Omar is a very impressive guy. He’s a great person to work with and someone I’ve shared a lot of insightful conversations with during his time at the Etihad.
“His background is more business-based and focused around the structure of a club, so he will provide stability in that sense where it is needed. He’s been a big part of the progression and growth of City Football Group, so this is a top acquisition for United.
“And a sensible one.”
For the first time since Ferguson’s retirement a decade ago, Man United’s off-the-pitch appointments are being made with on-pitch success in mind. Berrada and Jean-Claude Blanc – the brains behind the operation at PSG and Juventus – arrive with a serious and sustained track record of success at the very highest level of European football.
MORE UNITED STORIES
United now step up sporting director chase
“This is what’s needed at Old Trafford, in terms of the bigger picture. Omar is the perfect man to oversee that and give United a sustained chance at being successful,” Lescott adds, Berarda viewed as an expert negotiator (he played a key role in Erling Haaland’s 2022 arrival) as well as an expert in both the footballing and commercial side of the job.
“For City, the news of Omar joining their bitter rivals will have come as a shock.
“Before accepting the job at Old Trafford, Omar will have been able to get a feel for where United are at and where they want to go.
“He’ll have laid out his vision and timescale and they’ve obviously liked it, so once he’s in the door, I’d expect to see more new staff brought in swiftly.
“It’s not going to be a quick fix but United fans should be upbeat about the impact he can have on their club.”
According to iNews, focus now turns at United to bringing in a world-leading director of football and a proven recruitment specialist. Dan Ashworth of Newcastle and former Tottenham talentspotter Paul Mitchell are the leading candidate for both jobs.
Leave a Reply