Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies. Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of s***!’ – Eric Cantona has criticized Manchester United, calling the club’s decision to terminate Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract “scandalous.”

Eric Cantona has condemned Manchester United’s leadership, describing the decision to end Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract as a club ambassador as “scandalous.”

Ferguson, who managed United for 26 years and secured 38 trophies before retiring in 2013, was retained as a global ambassador with a £2 million annual salary, as well as a club director.

However, under Ineos’ cost-cutting initiatives, the club has now terminated Ferguson’s ambassador role, with payments set to conclude next year.

Despite this, Ferguson will still be welcomed at Old Trafford to watch matches, though the move has upset one of his former players.

Eric Cantona expressed his outrage on Instagram by sharing a photo of himself with Sir Alex Ferguson, accompanied by the caption: “Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies. Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of s***!”

Meanwhile, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand took to X (formerly Twitter), stating: “If Sir Alex can be taken out, then NO ONE IS SAFE at Manchester United – anyone can get it now. Ineos sending a message to ANYONE at the club?!?”

Ratcliffe and Ineos assumed minority control of Manchester United in February and swiftly implemented measures to reduce expenses behind the scenes.

The club saved approximately £10 million annually by eliminating 250 positions, and senior executives had their club credit cards revoked.

For the FA Cup final at Wembley in May, employee perks were reduced, including limiting tickets for friends and family, discontinuing free transportation to the stadium, and removing the pre-game meal.

Despite being the Premier League’s second-highest spenders in the summer transfer window, with a £200 million investment on five new players, United has experienced its worst-ever start to a Premier League season after seven matches.

Eric Cantona’s condemnation of Manchester United’s leadership, particularly their decision to terminate Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassador role, reflects deep frustration with the club’s current direction under INEOS ownership. Ferguson’s role as a global ambassador, which came with a £2 million annual salary, is set to end as part of cost-cutting measures implemented by the new management. Cantona, a Manchester United legend, expressed his anger on Instagram, calling the decision “scandalous” and accusing the club of disrespecting Ferguson, whom he believes should be honored indefinitely.

Rio Ferdinand, another United icon, also reacted strongly to the news, suggesting on X (formerly Twitter) that if Sir Alex Ferguson can be removed from such a position, “NO ONE IS SAFE” at Manchester United. This sentiment reflects the shock and concern from former players about the direction the club is taking under INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who assumed minority control earlier this year.

Ratcliffe’s regime has focused on cutting costs, eliminating 250 jobs, revoking senior executives’ club credit cards, and reducing employee perks. Despite these efforts and significant investment in the summer transfer window, Manchester United has struggled on the pitch, marking their worst-ever start to a Premier League season after seven matches.