Manchester United chief executive heads to Europe to attend 'urgent transfer business' - but does it involve Wayne Rooney or Cesc Fabregas?

Ed Woodward departs from Sydney three days ahead of schedule

Cesc Fabregas (GETTY IMAGES)

Chief executive Ed Woodward has left Manchester United's pre-season tour ahead of schedule to attend to “urgent transfer business”.

Details over who it involves are unclear - although the fact he leaves Sydney only three days before he was scheduled to give an indication as to the urgency of the matter.

He is understood to be heading to Europe. That could be discuss the £26m United bid for Cesc Fabregas, which Barcelona do not appear to have rejected. Reports today suggested Barcelona could be open to negotiations amid concerns over their finances after spending £50m on Neymar earlier this summer.

Woodward's departure could also give him the chance to schedule discussions with Rooney and his agent Paul Stretford over the slight the player perceives to have felt in newspaper interviews with Moyes.

It will not go unnoticed that Woodward's exit comes on the same day as it was revealed Chelsea had made a bid for Rooney.