Omar Berrada says Man Utd have plan in place for ambitious transfer window
By Simon Peach, PA Chief Football Writer
Chief executive Omar Berrada says Manchester United will balance “ambition” with the need to be “prudent” in the transfer market having been given permission to wrap up a deal for Wolves’ Matheus Cunha.
The Red Devils are looking to rebuild the side after their worst top-flight season since they were relegated in 1973-74, which was compounded by last week’s Europa League final loss to Tottenham in Bilbao.
That damaging defeat meant United missed out on silverware and Champions League qualification, worth an estimated £100 million (€120 million), and the club have wasted little time trying to improve Ruben Amorim’s side.
Cunha looks set to be first through the door as the PA news agency understands Wolves granted them permission to schedule a medical and finalise a deal for the Brazil international, having met his £62.5 million (€74.4 million) release clause.
It could start a busy summer in terms of incomings and outgoings at Old Trafford, with chief executive Berrada confident about United’s plans.
“I can’t talk about specifics, but I can say that we’ve been planning for many months now,” he told MUTV. “We were ready for all the different scenarios, so now we know what we need to do.
“We have a very clear idea of where we need to invest in the squad to improve, so (technical director) Jason (Wilcox), his team, Ruben have been in talks for many months.
“Now it’s a question of executing that plan and doing it in a way that is prudent but at the same time with ambition.”
Berrada was speaking on the first stop of United’s post-season trip to Asia, which is set to bring the club around £8 million.
Amorim’s men began the tour with a shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars in hot and humid Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, with the side heading to Hong Kong for another friendly on Friday.
United’s defeat in Malaysia came a week to the day since their Europa League final loss in Spain and just three days on from beating Aston Villa 2-0 in their Premier League finale at Old Trafford.
The result saw the Red Devils finish 15th, with Amorim telling fans that “the good days are coming” as the head coach apologised for a wretched campaign during an impassioned end-of-season address.
United chief executive Berrada said: “Ruben spoke really well on Sunday and he’s right: the past is the past.
“It’s important to learn. Now we need to stay together, stay united and I can only say again thank you to the fans.
“The owner has also been very supportive in this transition year and now we just need to work really hard and do everything we can to bring the club back to the top.
“I’m very excited about what’s coming ahead of us. Like Ruben said, now we just need to work really hard as a unit, as a club and I’m sure the good days will be back, as he said.”