Inside Woodward's exit talks with Glazers and disagreement on Super League plot

Ed Woodward is set to leave Manchester United on February 1, ending a near decade-long stint with the club, and last season's European Super League discussions have played a role in his departure.

The executive vice-chairman, who took over from David Gill in 2013, will be replaced by managing director Richard Arnold after tendering his resignation back in April 2021.

Co-chairman Joel Glazer thanked Woodward for his "tireless work" in a farewell message, not just in his nine years as executive vice-chairman but throughout his 16 years with the Manchester club.

However, it has emerged that a disagreement between the Glazers and Woodward regarding the failed European Super League plot played a big part in the latter deciding to move on.

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United were one of six English clubs involved in European Super League talks in April 2021, along with Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, after a fan backlash, all six withdrew and Joel Glazer issued an apology to United's fans.

"You made very clear your opposition to the European Super League, and we have listened. We got it wrong, and we want to show that we can put things right," Glazer said at the time.

"Although the wounds are raw and I understand that it will take time for the scars to heal, I am personally committed to rebuilding trust with our fans and learning from the message you delivered with such conviction."

This wasn't enough to prevent Woodward walking away, though, with The Times reporting that the Super League plot was "the catalyst" for his decision.

According to the report, Woodward was not confident the proposal would happen in the way envisaged by United's owners, while anticipating that they would pull the plug if, as he feared, Liverpool owners FSG walked away.

"He told [Joel] Glazer that he couldn't speak publicly for the club on a scheme that he didn't believe in," the Times notes, with the publication detailing earlier conversations between the pair in which United's outgoing executive vice-chairman stressed the importance of promotion and relegation - something absent from the American sporting world - on England's football pyramid.

Sure enough, the six English sides withdrew from the European Super League proposals, with Woodward tending his resignation that same week.

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin, who had spoken with Woodward earlier that month without discussing any Super League plans, took aim at the owners involved in the plot and depicted them as "snakes" and the plan itself as "a spit in the face of all football lovers, and our society as well".

"Ed Woodward called me last Thursday evening, saying he's very satisfied with and fully supports the [ Champions League ] reforms and the only thing he wanted to talk about was Financial Fair Play … when obviously he had already signed something else."

Since then, Woodward and Joel Glazer have continued to hold what The Times describes as "amicable" talks, with the former sticking to his decision to walk away from the club.

While the initial European Super League plans fell flat, some of the other clubs involved in initial discussions have not given up hope of reviving the planned competition.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have been working on potential reforms to the idea, with hopes of eventually relaunching the project.

The backlash in England was notable, with fan protests widespread - including outside Old Trafford ahead of a Premier League game against Liverpool, which was postponed as a result of the unrest.

If Manchester United return to the table with their European peers, though, Ed Woodward will be no part of the discussions.