Ed Woodward met with Boris Johnson prior to Super League launch
By Ross Jackson
Outgoing Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is understood to have attended a meeting with Boris Johnson just days before the Super League announcement was made.
The meeting took place at Downing Street on Wednesday 14 April - just four days prior to the revelation United had committed to joining the breakaway competition - though sources have denied that the ill-fated Super League was discussed.
United have since withdrawn their intention to feature in the Super League, along with the five other English clubs who had signed up to the event, Inter and Atletico Madrid.
Milan, Juventus and Barcelona are yet to withdraw, though the trio have released statements conceding the competition cannot go ahead in its current format, while Real Madrid - whose president Florentino Perez was due to be chairman of the Super League - remain committed.
Shortly after the Red Devils withdrew from the breakaway event, Woodward announced he would be stepping down from his role at the club this summer, and The Independent now report that the outgoing United chief met with Johnson at Downing Street just days before the competition's reveal.
Sources deny that the Super League was brought up during the discussion, claiming the meeting was held with the intention of discussing issues “around COVID-19 restrictions and the return of fans to stadiums”.
While the timing of the meeting does seem extraordinarily coincidental, reports have since emerged that Woodward was opposed to the Super League proposal, while a further source provided a definitive answer when asking if the competition was discussed during Woodward's meeting with Johnson, replying: “definitely no discussion of the Super League”.
The fallout from the Super League saga continues to rumble on, with Premier League chief Richard Masters seemingly adamant the so-called 'Big Six' will be held accountable for their actions. It's understood that the FA are planning on amending the Premier League rules so that any future attempts to join a breakaway league will result in immediate expulsion from the league.