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Manchester United icon, Eric Cantona, has admitted that he would be interested in a role at his former club under new owners INEOS.
The Frenchman knows a thing or two about bringing the Red Devils back to the big time.
After crossing the Pennines in 1992, Cantona played an instrumental role in United winning their first league title in 26 years.
They would go on to win four Premier League titles in the five seasons he spent at the club.
The 57 year old went into beach football, acting and is now trying his hand at the music business but United are always in his heart.
Speaking to the Big Issue magazine, the Marseille born man admitted that he would be attracted to some sort of role within the club, “I am involved in too many things I really love to be a manager. In everything I do I work hard to give 100% so that I am able to have the confidence to enjoy it”.
“So I don’t have time to be a manager, but maybe something else.”
Cantona also revealed his confidence in the club’s new owner stating, “for sure with Jim Ratcliffe I think we come back as the best. The way you drive the club is important. Ratcliffe, who is a fan of United since forever, is a great businessman of course, but is also very passionate about sport”.
The new Manchester United owner has also had kind words for the former French international claiming that the two time FA Cup winner was his favourite player and that Cantona’s infamous quote at a press conference when receiving an eight month ban was the inspiration behind the name of the company that officially bought the club, Trawlers Ltd.
Therefore, it is plausible Sir Jim would jump at the chance to have the charismatic player involved in the project in some way.
Commenting on the legend the INEOS owner claimed, “there’s a certain type of player… when he gets the ball, you get excited because you’re not sure what he’s going to do with it – it might be a bit of magic. Eric [Cantona] was one of those.”
Interestingly when the INEOS boss spoke to the media in February about the takeover, he excitedly spoke about the two’s potential meeting in the future.
“We are due to have lunch, so it’ll be really interesting. He knows [INEOS Sport CEO] Jean-Claude [Blanc] well, so I’m really looking forward to that. He’s quite a character – I think it’s important that a part of Manchester United is it’s always had a glamorous aspect to it. Eric was a bit of glamour”.
No doubt a potential position at the football club will be on the menu.