Man Utd chief Berrada sticking with 2028 title aim

Omar Berrada spent seven years at Barcelona before joining Manchester City in 2011 and moving to Manchester United in 2024

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada is sticking with his aim of marking the clubs 150th anniversary in 2028 by winning the mens and womens league titles.

Berrada first outlined Project 150 to staff in September 2024.

United were founded as Newton Heath in 1878 and Berrada wants to mark the clubs 150-year milestone in three years time with a return to the summit of the English game.

Given the mens team just experienced their worst domestic campaign since the 1973-74 relegation season and the women have to usurp Chelseas unbeaten Treble winners, the task is not easy.

But, in an in-depth interview with the United We Stand fanzine, external to be published on Wednesday, Berrada says it is better to aim high than have no target at all.

"Its establishing a series of targets within a timeframe so we can focus our efforts and energy on that goal," the 47-year-old said.

"Can the team win the Premier League title by 2028? Of course.

"Weve just finished 15th and it seems an impossible task. But why not aim for it? Why not do everything in our power?"

In 2002-03, a year before Berrada joined the Catalan giants, Barcelona finished sixth, 22 points behind champions Real Madrid. In an example of how quickly fortunes can change, they won the Champions League three years later.

"I firmly believe we can do it," he said of Uniteds prospects.

"We have two or three summer windows to build a team to start competing to win the Premier League.

"Nobody is saying we dont want to win it until then. Were setting ourselves a target with a specific time frame to go and aim for."

Berrada accepts the backdrop to his comments, following on from a Europa League final defeat by Tottenham he estimates cost between £80m-£90m in revenue and a second round of redundancies, is not great.

However, he sees the completion of the £50m upgrade at Uniteds Carrington training ground as a huge benefit, including on the womens side.

"We have been a bit distracted with all the issues around the mens first team but we are committed to making the womens team very successful," said Berrada.

"Youve heard [minority owner] Jim [Ratcliffe] say if youre wearing the United shirt then you must win. Thats exactly how I feel. A club of our scale has a responsibility to grow football in general and contribute to womens football."

But Berrada knows where the major external focus will be, in particular on coach Ruben Amorim, who had such a tortuous introduction to life at United following his arrival from Sporting in November.

Berrada joined United after working as chief football operations officer at City Football Group. And he can see similarities between Amorim and Pep Guardiola, who he got to know during his time at Manchester City and who, by his own standards, struggled in his debut campaign before eventually finishing fourth.

"It was difficult in Peps first year," said Berrada.

"He didnt win anything and there was suspicion about whether he could implement his football vision in the Premier League. People said he was arrogant and wouldnt change his style of play. But he stuck to his principles."

Asked if he saw similarities with Amorim, Berrada said: "Very much so."

Berrada feels the difficulties Amorim has encountered since his arrival will benefit the club next season and says there is genuine reason for optimism.

"It wont be easy," he said. "Therell be some difficult moments ahead.

"Nothing is going to get solved with one summer window, but we are on the right path.

"Weve put the worst part of this transformation phase behind us and now were going to start building. Im very confident well get back to the top."