Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has wished the outgoing Omar Berrada ‘good luck’ after the chief operations officer’s decision to leave for rivals Manchester United.
Berrada has made the shock decision to move across the city and join Manchester United as chief executive officer, with the City chief to replace Richard Arnold at Old Trafford in the summer.
He has had an influential role on City’s recruitment behind the scenes in recent years and Guardiola was asked for his view on Berrarda’s decision to defect to the treble-winner’s fierce local rivals.
“I wish him all the best and say good luck,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Spurs in the FA Cup on Friday.
“He has changed street not city. Important person for our organisation, the right hand to Ferran [Soriano] but he decided himself the time to leave and the club move forward. The club will find the right person.
“I don’t know the ideas from Manchester United. We try to keep the best people here but this can happen. When I arrived here in this building, come quite often, now I don’t recognise one face. People change jobs a lot. The club was happy with Omar. He decided for himself to leave.”
Another impending outgoing at the Etihad is Kalvin Phillips. The midfielder is undergoing a medical ahead of a loan move to West Ham.
“If I give him 10-15 games in a row he will play good but I did not give him that,” Guardiola said on the midfielder.
“I have players in the squad and decide we are looking for different things.
“I can only say how grateful I am for his behaviour off the pitch and hopefully he can get the minutes and next season we will see what happens. I wish him all the best for short time in London.”
