He will be replaced by Richard Arnold on 1 February
Manchester United have confirmed that Ed Woodward will leave his position as executive vice-chairman of the club on 1 February.
Woodward first joined the club in 2005 and has been in his current role as of 2012 but has divided opinion amongst the fanbase and has been amongst some of the key decisions at the club in recent years including the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 49-year-old first announced his decision to leave in April 2021 after the collapse of the failed European Super League project but confirmed he would stay in charge until an appointment would be made.
The man appointed to take over the reigns is Richard Arnold who released a statement via the Manchester United website expressing his excitement to begin his new role.
ℹ️ We are pleased to announce that Richard Arnold will become Chief Executive Officer of the club, effective from 1 February.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 6, 2022
He said: “I am honoured to have the chance to serve this great club and its fans.
“I am determined to return that honour in any way I can.”
Meanwhile United’s executive co-chairman, Joel Glazer, praised Woodward for his work and is now looking forward to working with Arnold in the future.
“I would like to thank Ed for his tireless work on behalf of Manchester United during his nine years as Executive Vice-Chairman and 16 years with the club,” Glazer said.
“We are now looking forward to Richard and his leadership team opening a new phase in the club’s evolution, with ambitious plans for investment in Old Trafford, the strengthening of our engagement with fans, and continued drive towards our most important objective – winning on the pitch.”
Woodward will continue to attend all football-related meetings at the club until June, with Arnold moving away from his previous position as the club’s managing director and will become the first person to hold the role of CEO since David Gill held the title before stepping down in 2013.
Related links:
- Joel Glazer tried to talk Ed Woodward out of quitting Manchester United
- Ed Woodward to step down as Manchester United executive vice-chairman
- Rangnick won’t convince players to stay at Manchester United if they wish to leave
