Omar Berrada has started holding “clandestine meetings” in preparation for Manchester United role – Man United News And Transfer News

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Manchester United’s new CEO, Omar Berrada, has already been holding clandestine meetings in preparation for his new role at Old Trafford.

The former Manchester City employee has been on gardening leave ever since it was announced in January that he would be crossing the city divide.

The Moroccan was the first appointment of the INEOS era and they have swiftly moved onto trying to prise Dan Ashworth away from Newcastle, but they have run into compensation issues.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe also aims to attract Dougie Freedman and Jason Wilcox to Old Trafford to complete the structural revolution.

The British billionaire has already commented that Berrada left City on good terms and that the two clubs dealt with the matter in a very “grown up” way.

Technically, City’s former chief football operations officer cannot officially perform any role for United until his leave is up in the summer but he can start preparations for the role.

Consequently, The Manchester Evening News has reported that “incoming Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada is already holding meetings with external contacts ahead of officially starting the role in the summer.”

“It is understood he has held clandestine meetings that some senior figures at United have been unaware of. Berrada is keen to maintain working relationships with those he dealt with when he was the chief football operations officer at City.”

The former Barcelona man will have a huge say in the future of the Red Devils, as it has already been revealed by Ratcliffe that he will influence the style of football the club will follow on a long-term basis.

This is a huge departure from the past where managers in the Old Trafford hotseat have usually enjoyed total control of how they want to set their team up, with limited success in the post-Ferguson era.

INEOS hope that by creating a detailed, yet logical background structure, the club’s chaotic days of switching from a possession-obsessed side under Louis van Gaal to a defensive counter attacking outfit with Jose Mourinho at the helm, will never happen again.

The Peoples Person has already relayed that Berrada has been busy “holding meetings with senior club executives”, as he awaits his new position to begin at the end of the current season.