Manchester United have told their employees chief strategy officer Hemen Tseayo is stepping down from his position.
A new era began at Old Trafford in February when Richard Arnold became the club's CEO, succeeding Ed Woodward as the Premier League club's top operational officer. Woodward held the title of executive vice-chairman during his nine years at the top.
Since Woodward's departure, four other senior figures - including Tseayo - have either said goodbye to United or are currently in a notice period. Matt Judge - the director of football negotiations - will leave the club later this year after nine years of service.
Chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout are also on their way out of Old Trafford. As reported by The Athletic, staff were informed of Tseayo's departure on Tuesday after Arnold sent an email to employees.
Tseayo joined the club in 2012 and helped establish it on the New York Stock Exchange shortly after his appointment. He also played a role in the re-launch of the women's team in 2018 and has executed several refinancing transactions of the club in recent years.
Tseayo reportedly had a close working relationship with Woodward. It's believed he and Judge worked in adjacent offices at United's Mayfair headquarters for many years. Tseayo is said to identify now as the right time to depart due to Woodward's exit.
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Tseayo is believed to be keen on seeking greater executive responsibilities elsewhere. His departure has been described as "amicable" and will continue to advise the Red Devils while they look for their next chief strategic officer - if asked.
Judge, meanwhile, will not play a role in United's transfer business this summer - despite working out his notice period. He joined the club in 2012 following a 13-year career in investment banking and has been involved in contract and transfer negotiations since 2016.
Judge has played a part in many unsuccessful signings at Old Trafford, such as Paul Pogba's £89m move from Juventus, Romelu Lukaku's £75m move from Everton and - most famously - Alexis Sanchez's reported £500,000-a-week contract (with add-ons).
Some of Judge's better judgements include the signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bruno Fernandes. It's perhaps too early to tell if the likes of Amad and Jadon Sancho will be successful in Manchester. Even so, few fans will praise Judge for his work.
Arnold was announced as Woodward's successor in January. He's worked at Old Trafford for the last 14 years and, like many of his colleagues, came from a financial background. "I am honoured to have the chance to serve this great club and its fans," said Arnold at his unveiling. "I am determined to return that honour in any way I can."
Co-owner Joel Glazer added: "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."
