Richard Arnold and Ed Woodward's differing stances as Man Utd quit £1m-a-year HQ

07 March 2023 , 20:07

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Ed Woodward had his main base of operations in Mayfair (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Richard Arnold is continuing his Manchester United shake-up by moving the club's office from one plush London location to another.

The Red Devils are moving from their luxurious surroundings in Mayfair to Kensington after 10 years in the West End. United chief executive officer Arnold succeeded Ed Woodward as Old Trafford supremo in early 2022 having helped the club to establish a presence in the capital a dozen years earlier.

The office moved to Mayfair in 2013 and United have been paying almost £1million per year for their lavish set-up, boasting 11,500 square foot of office space. This long-standing base is where Erik ten Hag, Mitchell van der Gag and Steve McClaren arrived after agreeing to become the club's new management team last May.

It was where some of United's greatest transfer coups of the last decade were completed, while the Stratton Street headquarters was also former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward's main base of operations. Former club chiefs including Matt Judge, who was United's chief transfer negotiator until last year, also spent the majority of their time working there.

However, the Daily Mail claims United are moving away from Mayfair and into the top floor of The Kensington Building, which covers 16,000 square foot and provides scenic views from a large roof terrace. The shift comes at a time when the Red Devils hierarchy is placing more emphasis on operations in Manchester.

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Arnold lives in Cheshire and has favoured working from Old Trafford since taking over as CEO 13 months ago, while football director John Murtough works alongside his team at the club's training ground in Carrington.

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Richard Arnold is overseeing a period of transformation at Manchester United (AFP via Getty Images)

United have signed a 10-year lease to move to the top floor of The Kensington Building this autumn. Designs are underway to revamp the premises and staff will move early during the 2023/24 season. Although Arnold prefers to work in the North-West, United maintain determined to remain a strong presence in London. This will enable their commercial team to liaise with partners seamlessly.

United chiefs and staff members may be hoping there is more stability at the club by the time they swap Mayfair for Kensington. That is because the Glazer family is weighing up a full or partial sale of the Red Devils, with a Qatari consortium and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Britain's richest man, among those vying to take over at Old Trafford.

The upheaval around the club has not all been Glazer-induced, either, as Arnold has overseen drastic changes in senior roles. Chief strategy officer Hemen Tseayo, chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout, like Judge and Woodward, have left United during a period of transition on and off the pitch.

Freddie Keighley