Manchester United CEO 'blocked' one major signing from happening during the summer transfer window

New Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada blocked the club from signing one of their major targets this summer, it has emerged.

Berrada made the switch from rivals Manchester City and began work at Old Trafford earlier this summer after completing a period of gardening leave.

It was a productive first summer transfer window for Berrada and the club's new football leadership under Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whose INEOS firm completed a minority takeover this year and completely looks after United's on-pitch operations.

A total of five major new senior acquisitions were made to strengthen Erik ten Hag's squad.

The first of these was striker Joshua Zirkzee, who arrived from Italian side Bologna.

United then beat Real Madrid to the signing of highly-rated young defender Leny Yoro from Lille, though the teenager has been ruled out for several months after fracturing his metatarsal during a pre-season friendly.

Ten Hag was reunited with two more players he has previously coached when United signed defensive duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.

And the transfer window ended with the signing on Uruguay international defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain, who could make his United debut when his new side take on Southampton at St Mary's to bring a close to the club's summer business.

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Central defence was a clear area for the United squad to be improved, as the signings of Yoro and De Ligt showed.

But another player who United put multiple bids in for was Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, whom the Goodison Park club slapped a valuation of between £75 million and £80 million on.

An initial bid of £35 million plus add-ons was declined, while a second offer of £45 million and £5 million in extras was also turned down - and United ended up signing De Ligt as a cheaper alternative compared to the Toffees man.

And it appears new United chief executive Berrada played a key role in the club ending their pursuit for Branthwaite and looking elsewhere.

According to ESPN, Berrada was insistent on United sticking to the firm valuations they had of players, rather than bowing to the demands of selling clubs.

It is reported that United valued Branthwaite at between £50 million and £60 million, which fell below the minimum £75 million Everton wanted for the defender, for which they cited the £77 million Manchester City paid in 2023 for Josko Gvardiol.

But Berrada is said to have placed Branthwaite below Gvardiol's level due to lack of experience in comparison, and though Branthwaite may well have been signed if Everton reduced the asking price as the transfer window dragged on, United were not willing to wait.

Berrada himself said: "We were quite disciplined about the valuations we were giving to the players who were going to come in.

"We stuck to those valuations. The reason I mention that is if you make a mistake and overspend, or get a player who can cost you too much, it can set you back."