LONDON: Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada is sticking to the club’s long-term target of winning the Premier League by 2028 – the year that will mark the club’s 150th anniversary – despite Ruben Amorim’s side having just endured their worst season in modern history.
The club, which has won 20 league titles, finished 15th last season, its worst finish since relegation in the 1973/74 season, and 42 points behind champions Liverpool.
In fact, they were also disappointed on the European stage when they lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, thus causing United to not play in any European competitions next season.
Berrada, who previously served as Manchester City’s Head of Football Operations, introduced the “Project 150” initiative to staff last September – aiming to successfully clinch the Premier League and Women’s Super League (WSL) titles by 2028.
While the men’s team is still far from the level they dream of, United’s women’s team also faces a huge challenge to break the dominance of Chelsea, who have won six consecutive WSL titles.
United’s women’s team finished third last season, 16 points behind Chelsea and also lost to the same club in the FA Cup final.
However, Berrada remains optimistic that the double success can be achieved within the next three years.
“It’s about setting targets within a certain time frame so that we can focus our energy and efforts towards that goal,” he said in an interview with the fanzine United We Stand.
“Can this team win the Premier League by 2028? Absolutely.
“We just finished the season in 15th place and it seemed like an impossible mission. But why don’t we make that our goal? Why not do the best we can?”
United, who were founded as Newton Heath in 1878, will celebrate their 150th anniversary in 2028.
They last lifted the league title in Alex Ferguson’s final season as manager in 2012/13.
“I truly believe we can do it,” he said.
“We have two or three summer transfer windows to build a team that is truly capable of challenging for the Premier League title.”