Why Berrada is 'cautiously optimistic' for 2025/26
Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has explained why he is “cautiously optimistic” for the 2025/26 season as a positive trip to the USA draws to a close.
Berrada spoke openly about resetting the culture, the arrival of our new signings, the potential for further transfers and moving into a refurbished Carrington. Watch the interview, or read the quotes, below…
Berrada: All of the signs are positive
CEO Omar Berrada speaks confidently about 2025/26, our recruitment strategy and moving into a refurbished Carrington...
“It's been amazing, it's been very good. I'm really pleased with how it's gone. The team has trained really well, the interaction with the fans, activations with our partners, everything has been excellent. The Premier League has put on an excellent tournament.
“I wouldn't say there is one highlight. We have done 30 events over two weeks and I have really enjoyed seeing the activations with our top partners, the launch of the away kit with Rio Ferdinand, with adidas, and we've done an activation with Snapdragon as well, which we will see next weekend in the Snapdragon Cup. I did really like watching the colours on the Niagara Falls, that was something quite special.”
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC FOR 2025/26
“The mood has been very good. The culture, the standards, the values, we are trying to ensure that we create a team spirit that allows the players to compete at the highest level. We have very high standards, Ruben is very clear about that and so is Jason [Wilcox]. It is something we want to see with the players, with the staff, with everyone, because what we want to do is to win and to start winning titles as soon as possible.
“Of course, adding players helps. We have seen the arrival of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon. They have adapted really well. We are going to see Bryan play for the first time, Matheus has already shown his quality and Diego has shown that he is adapting very quickly, having just come from Paraguay, so all of the signs are positive and we are cautiously optimistic. We hope we are going to have a great season.”
Ruben's big interview
RUBEN'S BIG INTERVIEW | The boss talks cultural change at Manchester United in our catch-up on Tour 2025...
“It is about raising standards and being very disciplined, and the way you approach the application of those standards. We have to make sure that everybody abides by them, that everybody believes in them and that nobody falls out of line. It is really important for us to create that sense of togetherness around a single idea.”
STRENGTHENING THE SQUAD
“We have to do a lot of multitasking. We have a team back home led by Jason, the recruitment team, that is working around the clock to ensure that we continue to find opportunities to strengthen our squad. There are lots of late calls and early morning meetings to make sure that we stay on top of it.”
“For sure, it is a really important milestone for us. We have invested a lot in improving the facilities, it is going to be best in class and really second to none in the world of sports. We are going to open it on Friday 8 and we are very proud of what it's going to look like. I have no doubt that it is going to positively impact the performance of our teams.”