Ed Woodward will wave goodbye to Manchester United at the end of this month having pocketed a remarkable final salary from the club.
Woodward is due to step down as United’s executive vice-chairman on February 1, bringing to an end a nine-year spell in the role.
The 50-year-old helped advise the Glazer family on their successful takeover of the Premier League club in 2005 and has been in his current role since succeeding David Gill in May 2013.
United confirmed earlier this month that Woodward would step down from the role at the end of the month, with managing director Richard Arnold taking over his position.
Woodward has proven to be a hugely divisive figurehead of United, overseeing a spend in excess of £1billion on players over his time in charge at Old Trafford in return for little success.
United have not won the Premier League title since 2013 and have gone through David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to reach current boss Ralf Rangnick, with Mourinho the only one to win significant silverware.
Woodward’s departure will be celebrated by many supporters, who will no doubt resent the size of his final pay cheque.
Manchester United Ltd company accounts, which have been posted on Companies House, show Woodward raked in a whopping £2,916,000 from the club across 2021.
Although that is a decrease from his pay of £3,087,000 the previous year, it still makes him comfortably the highest paid executive in the Premier League.
Woodward originally tendered his resignation in April 2021 in the wake of the fallout from the failed European Super League, of which United were a founding member.
He has been a close ally of the unpopular Glazer ownership, who paid tribute to him earlier this month.
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“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,” executive co-chairman Joel Glazer said.
Woodward was willing to step down immediately last year following an almighty backlash from fans, which included a group of protestors attacking his home .
He was persuaded to stay on, but is now poised to be replaced by Arnold, who has been managing director since 2013 and will soon take the title of chief executive.
Arnold has spent the past nine years working alongside Woodward and is a close friend, having attended Bristol University with him.
"We are now looking forward to Richard and his leadership team opening a new phase in the club’s evolution,” Joel Glazer said.
“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.”
Arnold 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.”
