Omar Berrada, former Manchester City Chief Operating Officer who is now CEO of Manchester United, dismissed comments made by Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp in 2019 regarding his club's transfer spending. That incident, which happened years ago, raised questions about what really occurred, and at the time Berrada responded quickly, with his statements inevitably making headlines. Now, as Manchester City faces financial charges, Berrada has notably remained silent. While Berrada has never been investigated or questioned by regulators, Manchester United fans are increasingly questioning the wisdom of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's decision to appoint him.

In the summer of 2019, rivalry between Manchester City and Liverpool reached its peak. Manchester City had won three domestic cups, while Liverpool, having narrowly missed out on the league title the previous season with 97 points, won the Champions League and eased their disappointment. Afterwards, Manchester City broke their transfer record, spending £62.5 million on Rodri. In contrast, Liverpool only brought in 16-year-old Harvey Elliott. During their pre-season tour in the United States, Jürgen Klopp was asked about his squad's quality and summer transfer activity, including new contracts.

"Everyone wants trophies, we want trophies too," Klopp said. "We invest in our squad, things might not look like it right now. But we don't live in a world where we can buy whoever we want with endless money. Only about four clubs in the world seem to be able to spend massive amounts constantly.

"Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City and PSG. They can get whatever resources they want and there's no comparison. That's just reality. I'm not complaining, I know how people might interpret this, they might think I'm upset. I'm not upset at all! This season isn't the end for Liverpool, we'll continue to act in the next transfer window as well."

Consequently, ahead of the Community Shield match, Klopp faced headlines reading "stop talking about money," which surprised him.

What amazed everyone at Anfield was that this row was directly sparked by comments from Omar Berrada, who was Manchester City's COO at the time.

"We were a bit surprised," Berrada said at the time. "I don't know why they make such statements, why they always focus on other clubs. It's odd, not disappointing or angering, just strange that they're constantly talking about our spending. We have no problem with Liverpool's transfer spending."

He continued: "The truth is that all top clubs invest according to their own plans. We don't scrutinize what others do in detail. Liverpool are strong competitors."

That last sentence resembled a bouquet of flowers hastily bought from a petrol station on Valentine's Day—completely lacking in genuine sincerity. While Berrada didn't need to comment, his forceful statement was like pouring petrol on fire.

"We will overtake Manchester United"

However, Omar Berrada has said little this week. As the current Manchester United CEO, it's clear that discussing the financial complexities surrounding his former club would have serious consequences.

One point must be made clear in this critical situation: Berrada himself has not been charged with anything regarding all the charges the Premier League has levied against Manchester City, nor has there been any demand for his accountability throughout the legal process.

It should also be noted that when charges were announced in February 2023 and when the Premier League arranged to question Manchester City's key figures, Berrada was not among those prioritized for questioning.

However, that doesn't mean it will escape public attention, particularly from many Manchester United fans. In January 2024, Sir Jim Ratcliffe brought him and former Manchester City executive Jason Wilcox on board from the "noisy neighbors," and fans have been closely monitoring the pair since then.

Berrada's football career began at Barcelona in 2004, where he worked alongside Pep Guardiola, Ferran Soriano, and Txiki Begiristain. He joined Manchester City in 2011 and oversaw the club's international business operations from an office in London.

During that period, Manchester City's growth was remarkable. Long-serving employees were astonished—the club needed an office in the city in addition to its headquarters, and this unstoppable train seemed to keep moving forward.

In the winter of 2008, Sheikh Mansour acquired the club, beginning the Abu Dhabi era, and soon after, then-CEO Garry Cook gathered all staff in the Commonwealth Suite at the City of Manchester Stadium for an all-hands meeting.

Cook announced bluntly to everyone: "We will overtake Manchester United." Many in the audience exchanged glances, wondering how this could possibly be achieved.

Cook then presented multiple charts detailing a roadmap with the objective of surpassing Manchester United, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.

"I cannot comment on my previous work"

Berrada was born to Moroccan parents in Paris and was among newly appointed staff during the club's major recruitment drive, receiving daily task assignments. He progressed through various roles at the club and became Soriano's assistant in 2016, overseeing Manchester City's daily operations.

Berrada subsequently received further promotions. Therefore, Ratcliffe considered recruiting the 48-year-old executive to a different club five miles away as an important staffing success to revitalize Manchester United. However, the results he has delivered so far have not been remarkable.

This storm surrounding Manchester City will arrive soon, sooner or later, and although Berrada has not been investigated or questioned by regulators, was Ratcliffe's decision to appoint him wise?

This is a question worth discussing, and Manchester United fans have repeatedly asked it during the turbulent past week.

At a press conference held in September 2024, Berrada was asked whether he was involved in the charges against Manchester City.

"I cannot comment on my previous work," he replied. "My full focus is on Manchester United now. I believe we have a strong foundation to continue progressing and competing for trophies without any defeats."

According to reports, journalists continued to ask whether the matter would affect former Manchester City staff. There are many former City employees in Oldham, and many more are scattered across various Premier League clubs. Berrada simply nodded his head.

He remained silent. When he finally spoke (Berrada was among several Premier League executives who did not attend UEFA meetings in Cologne this week),

One thing is certain: his comments will likely generate more headlines.

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