Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward became the first victim last week amid the uproar regarding the collapsed European Super League plan. Despite the vast majority of the football community declaring Woodward's place unsustainable due to his involvement in the now-defunct European Super League, the club revealed that the 49-year-old quit and therefore will vacate the key operational role in the Old Trafford boardroom at the end of 2021. However, Ed Woodward would have a say in the appointment of his replacement at Manchester United. It is expected that now the Executive Vice-Chairman will play a significant role in determining who will succeed him. He reportedly felt great guilt about the Super League's entire creation, hence why he wanted to resign, according to reports.
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However, as he prepares to step down at the end of the season, he will be entrusted with one last major decision: naming his successor.
Here’s looking at the list of his prospective successors:
Richard Arnold
Richard Arnold may be the Glazers' option to succeed Ed Woodward as CEO. Manchester United's last three CEOs were all internal appointments: Ed Woodward, David Gill, and Peter Kenyon, and the Glazers may follow suit when replacing Woodward. Considering his economic value to the club, which again is critical as the Glazers' chief executive, Arnold appears to be a "more natural long-term fit." Arnold is already at the club for 14 years, gaining useful experience as executive vice-chairman alongside good friend Woodward, and seems to be a loyal confidant of the Glazers family. This would make a lot of sense as an internal replacement for the resigning Woodward.
Edwin Van Der Sar
Edwin van der Sar, the current chief executive of Dutch giants Ajax, is certainly the very first name on any Manchester United fan's mind. Since being elevated to CEO in 2016, Van der Sar has overseen a cultural shift at Ajax, with a stronger focus on young talent, and also a remarkable revival in the Champions League, making it to the semi-finals in 2019. The former Manchester United goalie had a successful career at Old Trafford, winning seven trophies in total, including four Premier League titles and a Champions League. As a result, he would be well-received by fans and turn into a primed and famous substitute for Woodward.
John Murtough
John Murtough, United's first-ever football director, was named to the position on March 10th of this year and might be an unexpected choice. The Liverpudlian boasts 23 years of football experience, having started as a sports scientist with Everton in 1998 alongside former United boss David Moyes. Murtough reconnected with Moyes at Old Trafford in 2013, and although the new West Ham manager's time at the club remained brief, Murtough remained. Murtough has fully restructured the Red Devils' academy and recruiting division in his eight years with the team. He also played a key role in the creation and introduction of the club's first-ever women's squad. Glazers are said to be big fans of Murtough’s data science-led projects and have been impressed by his leadership qualities. So, there’s certainly a chance that he can be selected as well.
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