OFFICIAL: Ed Woodward resigns as Man Utd chief executive

Man Utd chief executive Ed Woodward will resign from his role at Man Utd at the end of 2021, the club have confirmed. Woodward has been at the club since 2005 and has been the executive vice-chairman since 2012. 

"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," he said in a statement. "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. 

Woodward also mentioned the large amount of money the club had spent: "We have invested more than £1bn 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."

He also thanked United's "passionate fans for their support during the good and bad times. I know this has been a challenging period in our history, but your support for the team has never, ever been in doubt."

Woodward also wanted to highlight the amount of young players who have come through the club's academy. "Our world-famous academy is flourishing again, with 34 players progressing into the first team since 2013, and it has been a pleasure to watch talents such as Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Axel Tuanzebe flourish. We have also established Manchester United women and their progress is further evidence of the demand for success at this great club."

The statement ended with comments from co-chairman Joel Glazer: "Ed Woodward has served the club with great distinction. 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.

 

April 20, 2021