Ed Woodward tendered his resignation as executive vice-chairman after underestimating the backlash from Manchester United supporters over the club's intended participation in the Super League.
A source said Woodward 's head was 'spinning' amid the fallout from Sunday night's statement that carried quotes from the United co-chairman Joel Glazer.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Woodward expects to leave United in the summer rather than at the end of 2021, as the club's statement on Tuesday night claimed.
As per the Daily Star, Woodward telephoned Glazer on Tuesday lunchtime to tender his resignation after he 'underestimated' United fans' anger at the club's willingness to participate in a breakaway league.
Woodward did not dial into the fans' forum on Friday, having promised in November's forum supporters would be consulted over how the club should proceed amid changes to European competition.
The 49-year-old accepts he made a major 'mistake' in driving plans for the Premier League's 'big six' to join the Super League.
As far back as November, Woodward had planned for this season to be his last full campaign with United but he has fallen on his sword after backing the doomed Super League.
The Uefa president Alexander Ceferin pilloried Woodward over his conduct, revealing he spoke with the United chief last Thursday, when Woodward voiced his support for the expansion of the Champions League from 24 teams to 36 teams.
Woodward has been a sporadic presence at Old Trafford this season and did not attend a home game for four months following the 6-1 trouncing by Tottenham in October, when a handful of fans arrived at the stadium with a 'Glazers out Woodward out' banner.
