The intervention of Omar Berrada may result in Man City getting an unlikely aid from Manchester United.

Manchester City and Manchester United did not share many positions during the Glazers’ tenure; however, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada may alter this dynamic.

Manchester United has been causing controversy at Manchester City since Sir Jim Ratcliffe assumed responsibility for football operations at Old Trafford.

City believed that the appointment of Omar Berrada as their new CEO was a recognition of their success in managing a football club, as well as a strike across the bows. The appointment of former City academy director Jason Wilcox and former City communication director Toby Craig has only served to exacerbate this sentiment.

The remarks of Ratcliffe, who has rarely wasted an opportunity to talk City up, have been even more intriguing. He characterised their Champions League victory over Real Madrid as the most impressive 45 minutes of football he had ever witnessed and has been significantly less provocative than their competitors when the Premier League charges have been brought up.

Ratcliffe even reiterated City’s warning to the Premier League about the perils of being overly stringent with regulation this week. The United manager publicly stated that he could comprehend the Blues’ decision to challenge the legality of the most recent Associated Party Transaction rules and “why they would say that they want an open market, a free market” after a period in which they were depicted as the villains.

City is not accustomed to the presence of numerous favourable faces at Premier League meetings, as they have become an elite club and are currently under scrutiny for the legality of their ascent. Ferran Soriano can anticipate a cordial reception from his former colleague when Berrada commences his employment at Old Trafford on July 13. However, Ratcliffe’s statements may also suggest that United is providing more support than they have previously received.

Ed Woodward and the Glazer family were rarely in agreement with City’s hierarchy, and Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill did not appreciate the “noisy neighbours.” Project Big Picture and the European Super League were conceptualised by the Reds without the Blues’ involvement, as a confined market was desired rather than an open one.

Ratcliffe is committed to reducing the gap between himself and City on the field; however, the preliminary evidence indicates that they may also have a more intimate relationship off the pitch. The same restrictions on multi-club ownership that will frustrate City are irking United’s new controller of football operations. He is not averse to speaking out in support when their interests on regulation cross.

It is uncertain whether those words will be translated into votes at the boardroom level, as United and City are in significantly different circumstances as Premier League stakeholders. Nevertheless, the Glazers’ lack of shared interest may have contributed to City’s greater satisfaction with Ratcliffe’s United, as Berrada was situated across the table from them.