Man United Identify Ed Woodward's Successor And His Appointment Could Happen 'As Soon As Next Month'

Manchester United are edging closer to the appointment of a new chief executive ahead of Ed Woodward’s exit from Old Trafford, according to reports.

Woodward, who has become a divisive figure among United supporters, helped the Glazer family with their successful takeover bid of the Premier League club in 2005.

The 49-year-old has been with the Red Devils since 2005 and later became executive vice-chairman (his current position) in 2012.

However, United announced in April that Woodward would step down from his role at the end of 2021 amid the backlash over the controversial European Super League.

According to Sky Sports, Richard Arnold is expected to be named as Woodward’s successor at United.

The publication reports that the announcement for Arnold, who is currently United’s group managing director, could be announced ‘as soon as next month.’

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United reportedly want the news to come sooner after a successful summer transfer window, which saw the return of club legend Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus.

Arnold and ‘at least two other United executives’ reportedly challenged for Woodward’s role at Old Trafford.

The Glazer family and Woodward came under significant pressure from United fans after the Premier League’s ‘big six’ planned to enter The Super League.

The Red Devils and the other English clubs involved in the breakaway competition were met with millions of pounds in fines, but the ESL also sparked widespread protests.

The ESL debacle has only continued to add friction to the relationship between fans and the Glazer family, who have been long criticised for piling debt on United.

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Joel Glazer attempted to heal the wounds with fans over The Super League by vowing to build “better” communication with them and insisting that they will “always be at the heart of the club.”

The 54-year-old United co-chairman, whose family owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, thanked Woodward for his “tireless work and dedication” ahead of his exit.

“Ed Woodward has served the club with great distinction,” Glazer said in a United statement.

“On behalf of everyone at United, I would like to place on record our sincere thanks for his tireless work and dedication.

“His contribution to the club has been massive, and he will always be welcome at Old Trafford as a part of the Manchester United family.”

Topics: Ed Woodward, Manchester United, Premier League, England, Football

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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