Omar Berrada: Clubs That Changed CEOs and Shone As Manchester United Appoint New Man

• Omar Berrada will have a lot on his plate once he takes over as Manchester United's CEO
• Berrada will replace Richard Arnold after deciding to quit his role at the City Football Group
• We take a look at some of the blueprints the Spaniard will seek to replicate at Old Trafford

The wind of change is gripping Manchester United fans with the new minority investor, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, hitting the ground running even before official ratification from the Premier League.

The INEOS owner, who took charge of the football operations last month, made his first major move, appointing Omar Berrada as the club's new Chief Executive Officer on January 21.

In a statement, the Red Devils insisted they were 'determined to put football and performance on the pitch back at the heart of everything they do' and are hopeful Berrada was just the man to do that.

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Coming in from their rivals, Manchester City, the 46-year-old boasts a wealth of experience. He is credited with working the magic at the Etihad Stadium that has spewed the consistent return of trophies.

The process of rebuilding under new CEOs is often a tedious and painstaking one, but major clubs across Europe have done it. Sports Brief looks at the two examples Berrada will be hoping to replicate at Old Trafford.

1. Txiki Begiristain - Manchester City

How about we start with Berrada's immediate former employers? The former Spanish international left his post at Barcelona as football director in 2010, just after Pep Guardiola won the treble.

Two years later, Manchester City's chairman, Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, signed Begiristain in a similar capacity. Sheikh Mansour had acquired the club four years back but still struggled to replicate their riches to success on the field.

Under Begiristain's guidance, City have won six Premier League titles, a host of domestic cups and, most importantly, the elusive Champions League title. The director of football landed a masterstroke in 2016 when he convinced Guardiola to move to England.

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"It’s a pleasure working with him because I can do my job completely free, accepting the good and bad moments and sharing together. In the bad moments, we are closer than ever; in good moments, we celebrate together with a glass of wine," Guardiola told the club's website in 2021.

2. Peter Kenyon - Chelsea

After buying Chelsea in 2003, Roman Abramovich was desperate to start making headway in European football. Among his first order of business was poaching Peter Kenyon from Manchester United.

The move was a little bit controversial, given that Kenyon had previously said he was a lifetime Manchester United supporter. He was the one credited with talking Sir Alex Ferguson out of his initial plans to retire in 2002.

In West London, Kenyon provided a framework for the Blues, which began with signing Jose Mourinho in 2004 and a couple of talents like Didier Drogba. Chelsea became an instant force to reckon with in England, winning back-to-back Premier League titles.

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Despite his successes, the Guardian accused him of underhanded dealings for breaching Premier League guidelines.

Berrada's in-tray at Manchester United

The 46-year-old will have a lot to deal with once he starts his new role. Top of his agenda will be selling the players the club no longer needs, like Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho. Both are currently on loan in Germany. Mason Greenwood's situation will also have to be discussed.

Ratcliffe brought the club with the promise of fixing or improving the infrastructure at Old Trafford. Berrada will also need to address Erik ten Hag's situation, with his current contract running out next year.

Omar Berrada's old tweets resurface

Sports Brief had also reported that Berrada might face backlash from Manchester United's fans after his old tweets resurfaced.

The new CEO trolled the club on several occasions during the troubled reign of David Moyes.