Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold faces the axe under potential new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, it is being reported.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to be named as Manchester United’s preferred new owners by The Raine Group on behalf of the Glazers, report The Sun.
The Glazers are said to prefer Ratcliffe’s offer to stay on as minority investors, compared to Sheikh Jassim’s total buyout.
An announcement is expected within days, according to the report.
Richard Arnold faces the axe
One of the knock-on effects under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s planned takeover could be the departure of chief executive Richard Arnold.
The Sun report a decision would “mean an imminent exodus of the rest of the Old Trafford top brass including chief executive Richard Arnold – but not the two Glazer siblings.”
Joel and Avram Glazer would stay as minority investors with next to no say in how Ratcliffe runs the club.
Arnold previously worked as commercial director under Ed Woodward, before being promoted internally as his replacement.
He has proved a steady pair of hands, seemingly making good on a vow to back off the football side of the operation, learning from Ed Woodward’s mistakes.
Arnold’s departure would allow Sir Jim Ratcliffe to appoint his own chief executive. A decision to axe Arnold is not at this stage guaranteed, but it is being reported that it is one of the expected outcomes.
Manchester United fans are split on who the best new owner would be, and perhaps it wasn’t an easy choice for the Glazers either. But it does appear as though the indecision and drawn out process may be coming to an end.
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