Manchester United's CEO Richard Arnold will reportedly leave the club by the end of 2023.
Arnold's position has been called into question since it was revealed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is preparing to purchase 25% of the 20-time English champions.
Ratcliffe's deal is expected to be announced in the near future, and the British billionaire is said to be keen to bring in his own team to overhaul the struggling football department at Old Trafford.
According to Sky Sports News reporter Mark Kleinman, via social media platform X, Arnold's departure from Man United will be confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.
Kleinman claims that Patrick Stewart, who is currently Man United's general counsel and a member of the board, will be named interim CEO while a replacement for Arnold is identified.
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"Richard Arnold, the Manchester United Football Club CEO, is to leave the club by the end of the year. An announcement will be made later today and will come shortly before Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Sport confirms the acquisition of a 25% stake in the club," the reporter posted online.
"Patrick Stewart, Manchester United's general counsel, will be named interim CEO in addition to his existing role.
"Richard Arnold's departure will come after a year of uncertainty about the club's future ownership, with an announcement on that front expected next week."
According to The Athletic, ex-Juventus chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc, who is currently in charge of the INEOS Sport portfolio, is being considered for the role moving forward.
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Arnold has been with Man United since 2007 and was promoted to CEO following Ed Woodward's exit.
Ratcliffe is expected to pay around £1.3m for 25% of the Red Devils, and the 71-year-old is said to be determined to complete a staggered takeover of the club.
A recent report claimed that the roles of football director John Murtough and director of football operations David Harrison are also in severe doubt.
Ratcliffe is said to want to overhaul the scouting department at the club, meanwhile, due to what he believes to have been failures in the transfer market since Sir Alex Ferguson's exit 10 years ago.
Despite the planned changes, it is understood that Erik ten Hag's job as head coach remains safe, with Ratcliffe confident that the Dutchman can navigate the club through a tough start to the campaign.
Matt Law
