Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has laid out an ambitious plan for the club to win the Premier League by 2028, a goal that would coincide with the Red Devils’ 150th anniversary. Berrada outlined the club’s three-year plan to staff last week, despite a challenging start to the season under manager Erik ten Hag, which took another hit with a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League opener.
“It’s not a 10-year plan,” Berrada stated, according to *The Athletic*. “The fans would run out of patience if it was a 10-year plan. But it’s certainly a three-year plan to get there.” Berrada stressed the importance of managing expectations, acknowledging that matching the level of play exhibited by Manchester City against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season would take time. “To think that we’re going to be playing football as good as Manchester City played against Real Madrid last season by next year is not sensible. And if we give people false expectations, then they will get disappointed. So the key thing is our trajectory, so that people can see that we’re making progress.”
Berrada, who joined United from cross-town rivals Manchester City after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group took a 27.7% stake in the club earlier this year, emphasized that the club’s three-year plan, dubbed “Project 150,” is designed to steer Manchester United back to the top of English football. He also highlighted the importance of the women’s team winning their maiden Women’s Super League title within the same timeframe.
Throughout the summer, there was speculation about the future of Erik ten Hag, with many expecting the Dutch manager to be sacked following a mixed season. However, Berrada, Ratcliffe, and the new hierarchy stood by Ten Hag, buoyed by the team’s improvement towards the end of the previous campaign and their FA Cup victory over Manchester City. This support has given Ten Hag more time to build his vision for the team.
Reflecting on the significance of 2028 for the club, Berrada added, “I think it’s the club’s 150-year anniversary in 2028… if our trajectory is leading to a very good place in that sort of timeframe, then we’d be very happy with that. Because it’s not easy to turn Manchester United into the world’s best football team.” He reiterated the club’s ultimate ambition: “The ultimate target for Manchester United — and it’s always going to be thus, really — is that we should be challenging for the Premier League and challenging for the Champions League. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
Manchester United has not lifted the Premier League trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013. Since then, the club has seen five permanent managers try to restore their glory, with Erik ten Hag being the latest. Their start to the current Premier League season, with two wins, two defeats, and a draw from the first five matches, has increased scrutiny on Ten Hag’s tactics and the team’s progress.
As Manchester United embarks on “Project 150,” the pressure is on to achieve the ambitious goals set by Berrada and the new hierarchy. With a clear plan in place and a focus on building a winning trajectory, the club hopes to finally return to the summit of English and European football.