It said M&S would also bid farewell to more than 100 divisional directors and senior managers.

The newspaper identified the three directors expected to go as John Sacher, Derek Hayes and Chris Littmoden.

When Peter Salsbury was appointed chief executive last January, after a boardroom battle over the succession to chairman Richard Greenbury, he promised radical change.

But the company has been dogged by bad news. It share price fell after a shock profit warning due to a sharp decline in sales over the Christmas period. The stock recovered but then the retailer's new summer and spring clothing ranges were given a mixed reception.

The share ended in London at 378 pence on Tuesday.

The Financial Times, quoting a company source, said the three departing directors were victims of a plan to reshape the business into three profit centres -- United Kingdom retail, overseas and financial services.

``When you pick a team you lose some guys on the bench,'' the source said.

On Monday, a Marks and Spencer spokeswoman, responding to a British newspaper report, said the company had taken no decision to sell its US retail businesses Brooks Brothers and Kings Supermarkets. She said both units were being examined as part of a strategic review of all the company's businesses to be completed by the end of June.