Ed Woodward sold his luxury home to a former Liverpool striker at a discounted price following protests from Manchester United fans.
Woodward was never popular with supporters, and his association with the Glazer family didn’t help his cause. He held several key roles at the club, including chief executive after David Gill left.
Fan opposition to the Glazers stretches back more than two decades, dating back to Malcolm Glazer’s initial interest in buying the club. Even now, groups like The 1958 continue to question who holds power at Old Trafford.
Though Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group took over football operations in early 2024, the Glazers still own most of the club.
Woodward left his role two years before Ratcliffe arrived, but some of his decisions were criticised for holding back progress on the pitch.
Fabio Borini buys Ed Woodward’s house at a reduced price
Fabio Borini, who has played for the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan, is currently playing for Salford City.
The Italian forward left Sampdoria during the summer and spent some time training with Salford before eventually signing a deal earlier this month.
Borini was already settled in the area before joining Salford after purchasing Woodward’s Cheshire home.
Back in 2020, The Sun reported that around 20 masked United supporters targeted Woodward’s £2 million mansion with red paint, a smoke bomb and fireworks. Borini says those events helped him negotiate a lower price for the property.
He told The Times: “We bought the house four years ago, actually from the former CEO of Man United, Woodward. Because of the protests outside, everybody was worried so I said: ‘Don’t worry I’ll buy it; get the price down!’”
Since leaving United, Woodward has moved into advisory roles across sports and technology, including work with AI firms and Esports organisations.
Fabio Borini’s record against Man Utd
Borini faced United nine times during his career, playing for Chelsea, Liverpool, and Sunderland. The Italian forward managed three wins, five losses, and one draw in those meetings.
He scored twice against them, including an important goal for Sunderland in a 2-1 win that gave the Black Cats the edge heading into the second leg of an FA Cup semi-final tie.
Now with Salford City in League Two, Borini is looking to make his mark at a club co-owned by David Beckham and Gary Neville.
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