Man United chief Ed Woodward backs Man Utd to reach 'pinnacle' of football once again

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward believes Manchester United are entering an exciting new chapter that can return the club to football's "pinnacle".

A general air of malaise had set in since Sir Alex Ferguson's exit, with the club missing out on Champions League qualification in two of the three years following his retirement in 2013.

Last season's fifth-place finish in the Premier League meant FA Cup glory was not enough to save manager Louis van Gaal, with Jose Mourinho swiftly named his successor at Old Trafford.

That along with the high-profile acquisition of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and world-record capture of Paul Pogba has helped to lift expectations, with Woodward excited that the club is "writing the next chapter".

"In May, we announced Jose Mourinho as our new manager," he told investors. "He needs no detailed introduction from me having won 23 trophies in 13 years.

"His appointment is a reflection of the club's determination to return to the pinnacle of our sport.

"Despite the result from Saturday (when United lost 2-1 at home to Manchester City), there is positive momentum behind the team this year and expect this season to be one of the most exciting in the Premier League's history.

"We've also signed several top-class players in (Eric) Bailly, (Henrikh) Mkhitaryan, Pogba and, of course, Ibrahimovic.

"We believe our investment in these players will better position us to challenge for trophies in the coming years. "