Old Trafford

Manchester United icon Eric Cantona has publicly condemned co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe for rejecting his offer to help restore the club and eroding its soul. Speaking at An Evening with Eric The King Cantona, the French legend, who scored 82 goals in 185 games under Sir Alex Ferguson, revealed he proposed dedicating two or three years to United’s resurgence, only to be rebuffed by INEOS.

Eric Cantona

“I have many other passions and projects, but I thought that for two or three years, I could maybe put those to the side and try to give something to this club, which has given everything to me,” Cantona said. “But he didn’t seem interested. I did what I had to do, so I don’t feel guilty anymore. I tried my best. Sir Alex Ferguson created a style of beautiful attacking football, which the new owners should have used. Instead, they destroyed it.” He previously criticized Ratcliffe in April 2025 for ending Ferguson’s 2 million pound ambassador role, cutting 450 jobs, and planning a 2 billion pound, 100,000-seat stadium to replace Old Trafford, calling it a betrayal of the club’s family spirit.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Under Ruben Amorim since November 2024, United struggled, finishing 15th last season, losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, and missing European competition. Despite a shaky Premier League start fueling sack rumors, Ratcliffe endorsed Amorim, who has since delivered an unbeaten streak with squad changes. Cantona’s exclusion amplifies fan frustration over INEOS’ cost-cutting, including higher ticket prices and season-ticket holder relocations for VIP areas, sparking protests like the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand sit-in.

As United face Everton at Old Trafford after the international break, Amorim aims to build momentum. Yet Cantona warns: “The soul of the team and the club is not in the players—all the people around is like a big family.”