Man Utd are ‘close’ to appointing Woodward’s successor

Joe Williams
Ed Woodward Man Utd

Premier League side Man Utd are on the verge of appointing a successor to Ed Woodward as the club’s new executive vice-chairman, according to reports.

The Old Trafford giants were part of the dozen clubs that announced late on April 18 they were joining a new European Super League, only for it to collapse amid intense pressure within 48 hours.

It was announced that Woodward would be leaving his executive vice-chairman role shortly before the club officially withdrew from the Super League, of which United co-chairman Joel Glazer was named as vice-chairman.


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The 49-year-old, who joined the club in 2005, became the first high-profile departure after the plans for the breakaway league were unveiled.

Woodward was a key figure behind the controversial competition and his exit was confirmed around an hour-and-a-half before United said they would not be participating in it.

His exit is reportedly unrelated and understood to be amicable with the club’s owners, the Glazer family, with the plan for him to continue in his role until the end of 2021.

Woodward said at the time: “I am extremely proud to have served United and it has been an honour to work for the world’s greatest football club for the past 16 years.

“The club is well positioned for the future and it will be difficult to walk away at the end of the year.

“I will treasure the memories from my time at Old Trafford, during a period when we won the Europa League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

“I am proud of the regeneration of the club’s culture and our return to the Manchester United way of playing.

“We have invested more than £1billion in the squad during my time here and I am particularly delighted with the progress the players have made under the astute leadership of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his coaching team in the last two years.

“I am sure that with the changes we have made on-field and to the coaching and football staff in recent years this great club will soon be lifting silverware again. It deserves to.

“I desperately wanted the club to win the Premier League during my tenure and I am certain that the foundations are in place for us to win it back for our passionate fans.”

And now Sky Sports claim that Man Utd are ‘close to appointing Richard Arnold’ as Woodward’s replacement and the ‘announcement could be made as soon as next month’.

Arnold is currently United’s group managing director and the report adds that he has been ‘vying with at least two other United executives for the job’.