Man City confirm withdrawal from Super League as Woodward leaves Man United

PREMIER League leaders Manchester City announced they would be pulling out of the proposed European Super League on Tuesday night.

There were reports earlier that City and Chelsea were planning to withdraw, and the Manchester club confirmed their decision later.

“Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League,” the club said in a terse statement on their official website.

City’s neighbours Manchester United, another member of the 12 founding clubs of the breakaway league, also made an announcement on Tuesday night.

The Old Trafford club confirmed that their Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward, who oversaw their inclusion into the Super League, would be leaving his post later in the year.

“Manchester United has today announced that executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward will step down from his role at the end of 2021,” the club stated.

“Woodward joined United in 2005 and became executive vice-chairman in 2012.”

Woodward said: “I am extremely proud to have served United and it has been an honour to work for the world’s greatest football club for the past 16 years.

“The club is well positioned for the future and it will be difficult to walk away at the end of the year.

“I will treasure the memories from my time at Old Trafford, during a period when we won the Europa League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. I am proud of the regeneration of the club’s culture and our return to the Manchester United way of playing.

“We have invested more than £1bn in the squad during my time here and I am particularly delighted with the progress the players have made under the astute leadership of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his coaching team in the last two years.

“I am sure that with the changes we have made on-field and to the coaching and football staff in recent years this great club will soon be lifting silverware again. It deserves to. 

“I desperately wanted the club to win the Premier League during my tenure and I am certain the foundations are in place for us to win it back for our passionate fans.

“Our world-famous academy is flourishing again, with 34 players progressing into the first team since 2013, and it has been a pleasure to watch talents such as Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Axel Tuanzebe flourish in the first team environment. In the years to come the club’s production line of young talent will continue to push established first team players for their places. That competition bodes well for the future.

“We have also established Manchester United Women and their progress is further evidence of the demand for success at this great club.”

It is unclear if the Super League and the backlash that followed its announcement had anything to do with Woodward’s departure from Manchester United.