Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada is said to have told staff at the club that they are aiming to get their hands back on the Premier League title in 2028.
Earlier this year, new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe rebuffed suggestions he may need a ten-year plan to get United back to the top of the football pyramid, but warned fans it was “certainly a three-year plan”.
The Athletic report that one extra year has been added to that target, with Berrada stressing a desire to mark the club’s 150th anniversary with a first Premier League title win since 2012/13 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The aptly named ‘Project 150’ sets out a long-term plan to make United competitive over the next few years and put them into a position of sufficient strength to win the title 150 years after the club was founded in 1878.
Ratcliffe brought up the 150th anniversary during the early days of his United tenure as an informal target, insisting competing with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal at this stage is simply not feasible.
Just what role current manager Erik ten Hag has in this project remains to be seen. The Dutchman’s future at Old Trafford was debated during the summer before he was awarded a new two-year contract to tie him to the club until 2026.
However, with results on the pitch still falling short of expectations, questions have been asked about Ten Hag’s continuation, although those in charge have always publicly backed the former Ajax boss.
- What Erik ten Hag previously said about Man Utd winning the title
After extending his United contract, Ten Hag revealed his optimism at building on May’s FA Cup success, and insisted that the club are heading in the right direction under his tutelage.
“I am here now for two years. I said I came here to win titles, trophies. We won two trophies after a dry [run] of six years,” he said.
“We are in a good direction, now with the new ownership coming in, they can help us. They are very supportive. We make our process and that’s what we constructed across the summer. We are in a very strong position to go into attack.
“United didn’t win a trophy in over six years, now we won two. But we are up for more, for higher titles, like the English title and then even more, going into Europe.
“But that’s a process, that takes time, we are working on it. I know with the set-up from the club, with the changes in structure, with the changes in infrastructure around here in Carrington, we will be ready for the future and we will improve.
“You feel it here. It gives new energy, it gives a new dynamic and it will help us achieve our targets. We want to win every game. We have seen, we are capable of beating everyone.”
What we know
- Man Utd conducted behind-the-scenes overhaul during the summer
- Omar Berrada joined from rivals Manchester City as CEO
- ‘Project 150’ hatched to win Premier League title.