Manchester United have confirmed that their highest-paid director – virtually certain to be executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward – received £3.16million last season, on the back of the team’s sixth-placed finish.
In total, the club paid out £6.83million its 13-strong team of directors, which includes Manchester United legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton.
Manchester United Football Club Limited confirm the figures in a recent filing to Companies House.
The money paid out to the highest-paid director by Manchester United represents a significant drop from 2017/18, however – down from £4.15million in that second-placed season, when the club handed £7.56million to its directors.
The pay-packet to Manchester United’s director is the highest announced in the Premier League so far; more than Chelsea, who had an aggregate compensation its key management and directors of £2.26million, as well as Arsenal who gave management and directors £4.01million.
Importantly, however, chief executive Ivan Gazidis left the club early in the season, meaning the emoluments to the highest-paid director fell sharply from £2.66million to £846,000 year-on-year.
And Manchester United’s rivals Manchester City published financial accounts recently revealing that no directors were paid during the 2018/19 season, when the club lifted four domestic trophies, including a consecutive Premier League title.
Premier League leaders Liverpool are yet to publish financial accounts for the 2018/19 season, but their run to the Champions League in Kiev two seasons ago saw them pay out £2.28million, including £1.33million to their highest-paid director.
Spurs are also yet to publish financial figures for the 2018/19 season but did give the club’s highest-paid director £3.01million in 2017/18. The club will reveal financial accounts for 2018/19 early in the spring.
