Ever since Eric Cantona's shock departure, Manchester United fans have wondered if he could ever be tempted to return.
The Reds legend retired at the top of his game, aged just 30 in 1997, breaking the hearts of millions of United fans in the process. But the club's pending takeover could potentially open the door for Cantona to come back in a role behind the scenes at Old Trafford.
The Glazers announced their decision to 'seek strategic alternatives' for the club in November, with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe quickly emerging as frontrunners to purchase the club. And reports have suggested Sheikh Jassim could offer roles at the club to United legends should he become the club's new owner.
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That scenario could see Cantona tempted to return, despite previously vowing not to do so. Back in 2005, as the Americans took control of United, Cantona told The Mirror: "Glazer is nothing in comparison to Manchester United. I love the club but I don’t like it with him in charge.
"I don’t like these kind of people who are involved in the game. I will fight in whatever way to get Glazer out of this club. Glazer could pay me €100million to be manager and I still wouldn’t go there."
While United are enjoying life under Erik ten Hag, it is unlikely Cantona will be coming back as manager any time soon - particularly considering his lack of experience in the role. But Sheikh Jassim has reportedly sounded out Manchester United legends about returning to the club should his takeover prove successful.
That could potentially open the door for Cantona to return, in some role, to the club despite his previous protestations that he would not do. And the legendary forward even revealed last year that the club had rejected his offer to return as United's 'president of football'.
"Last year, I proposed to the club to change their way," Cantona told The Athletic. "Ed Woodward is great at marketing but not great at football. United should have a chairman and then they should have a president of marketing and then a president of football, who is in charge of all the decisions in football. So I proposed to them that I should be president of football."
Cantona added that Woodward was not receptive to the idea: "I met him a few times. But they did not accept it! I still think me or somebody else, they should have somebody for football. It should be somebody from the club, who knows football and the club.
"Since [Sir Alex] Ferguson retired in 2013, the club doubled their revenue but didn’t win anything. So imagine if you succeed in football and also have great people in marketing, then instead of doubling the revenue, then you would treble it. But they do not understand that. The club spends a lot of money. But you have to spend it well."
With Woodward already out of the picture having been replaced by Richard Arnold as chief executive and the potential for the Glazers to soon be out of the club as well, Cantona could finally be tempted to call off his €100million vow of not returning to United.
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