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Manchester United are set to make Collette Roche among the most powerful women in football by making her their new chief operating officer (COO).

Roche could become United's first female COO and is the highest-placed woman in the club's history.

The 43-year-old would also join a small band of seven females in executive positions in the Football League and Premier League.

West Ham's Karren Brady, Marina Granovskaia at Chelsea, Susan Whelan at Leicester, Forest Green Rovers’ chief executive Helen Taylor, Sheffield Wednesday's CEO Katrien Meire and Carolyn Radford at Mansfield Town are the other women in English football's top four leagues.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Roche will be in charge of facilities, Old Trafford, ticketing and running the day-to-day business of the club, according to the i.

Roche is currently the executive director for Manchester Airports Group, which owns East Midlands, Manchester and London Stansted airports.

She is also a non executive director of pub chain JW Lees and board member on the Northern Powerhouse - a project proposed and chaired by former Chancellor George Osbourne to boost economic growth in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle.

The Red Devils are aiming to boost their female image - with the club currently in the process of setting up a women's team.

(Image: REUTERS)

United sent an application to join the WSL2 last week.

Ed Woodward said: "We are pleased to announce that the club intends to establish its first ever professional women’s team and has submitted an application to enter WSL2.



"The FA has provided excellent support through the process and we believe that launching a team in WSL2 would give many more of our graduates from the Regional Talent Club the chance to establish themselves as first-team players.



"The Manchester United women’s team must be built in the same image and with the same principles as the men's first team and offer academy players a clear route to top-level football within the club."