Man Utd: Ed Woodward says ‘everyone’ at club working on revival

United have started this season disappointingly under new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at West Ham left them seven points behind leaders Liverpool and trailing Leicester, West Ham and Bournemouth.

Former boss Jose Mourinho, former captain Roy Keane and former Liverpool boss Graeme Souness were damning in their condemnation of the club on Sky Sports on Sunday, adding their voices to allegations from supporters on social media that the club are more interested in finance than football.

Those comments are rejected by United sources, who say the club’s commercial income, which has fallen slightly to £275.1m – 44% of overall revenue – exists to help the football side of the club, not diminish it.

“The progress we have made on the business side underpins continued investment in the football side,” said Woodward, who added that investments made, particularly around the recruitment department, ‘have given us the building blocks for success’.

“We are confident this investment will deliver results but it is important we are patient while Ole builds for the future.”

This summer, United spent £145m on three players, Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James. In addition, Marcus Rashford, David de Gea and Victor Lindelof are among the first-team players to get significant new contracts.

United say they are happy with their summer business, with Woodward feeling the approach was the right one.

It is understood the club are open to reviewing the football structure and personnel within it amid anticipation of the appointment of a technical director, something United themselves raised in the wake of Mourinho’s exit last December.

However, Woodward says the future direction of the club is set.

“Returning to the roots of club’s ethos of youth-led attacking football is the right way forward,” he said.

“We won’t be influenced by short-term distractions.”