Man Utd takeover – Woodward to bank tasty windfall from Glazers sale

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Former Manchester United chief Ed Woodward is poised to net a healthy fee once the Glazers’ sale of the club goes through. Woodward was a controversial figure during his time at Old Trafford, but he has retained a stake in the Red Devils since leaving his post in 2021. 

The 51-year-old was appointed executive vice-chairman in 2012 and he remained a trusted ally of the Glazers – controversial in their own right – during his time with United. Fans often pointed the finger at Woodward over boardroom mismanagement, transfer dealings and an overall lack of success. 

He eventually left in 2021 after the damaging European Super League fiasco, which only served to drive a wedge further between supporters and the United boardroom. But he still holds a minor shareholding in the club which, according to The Daily Mail, will land him a healthy £1.5million once the sale goes through. 

That’s providing the new buyer forks out £4.5billion to acquire United, which would fall in line with recent estimates after bids came in before the soft deadline on Friday. 

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Woodward has held on to 5 per cent of a ‘B’ share, which would be the source of the windfall once the takeover is completed. Two main bidders emerged on Friday with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and petrochemicals entrepreneur Sir Jim Ratcliffe poised to go head-to-head. 

Al Thani is the son of Qatar’s former Prime Minister and chairman at one of the country’s biggest banks. His bid is thought to be worth at least £4bn, which would make United the most expensive sports team in history, although concerns remain over connections to the Qatari state and a potential overlap with Paris Saint-Germain. 

Ratcliffe is a lifelong United fan and his petrochemicals company, INEOS, are said to have bid £4bn. They released a statement on Saturday outlining their intention to become ‘the number one club in the world once again’, adding: “We also recognise that football governance in this country is at a crossroads.

“We would want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership. We want a Manchester United anchored in its proud history and roots in the North West of England, putting the Manchester back into Manchester United and clearly focusing on winning the Champions League.”

American hedge fund Elliott are also reported to have entered the equation with a last-minute bid on Friday, although they are thought to be less keen on a full-scale takeover like Al Thani and Ratcliffe. United fans would invariably prefer to see the back of the Glazers for good after their contentious 18-year ownership stint. 

Woodward and the Glazers aren’t the only individuals in line for an eye-popping cash injection if United changes hands, with financier Nick Train’s holding supposedly worth a whopping £312m.

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