After he signed his whole family up as shareholders in rebel club FC United, the French icon has not held back as he criticised the decision to knock down Old Trafford and drop Sir Alex Ferguson as a club ambassador. He also disagreed with the decision to make up to 450 United staff redundant in a move that he says would never have happened years ago.
“The soul of the team and the club is not in the players. All the people around are like a big family.
“I remember a dressing-room with players and Sir Alex Ferguson, all these people you don‘t know who helped us to feel at home and be in a family.
“I think it’s very important to respect these people like you respect your manager and team-mates.”
Cantona then went for the throat of Ratcliffe and the board of directors who he thinks are pulling the club apart in a £2BN stadium project that he feels is heading in completely the wrong direction.
“This team of directors, they try to destroy everything. They don’t respect anybody. They even want to change the stadium. The stadium is iconic.
“For me, Arsenal lost their soul when they left Highbury, and I’m sure a lot of fans miss Highbury.
“It’s like when you go in a house and feel a special energy. Can you imagine Liverpool playing in another stadium than Anfield? It’s impossible. I don’t think United can play in another stadium than Old Trafford.
“But I think maybe we are dreamers and they are more like an economy and a strategy. I hate this kind of thing. I hate this kind of decision.
“I support United because I really love United. But now if I was a fan and I had to choose a club, I don’t think I would choose United because I don’t feel close to these kind of decisions. Do you feel close to this project? I don’t think so.”
The 58-year-old revealed he offered help to the new regime to restore United to its former glory but they did not take him up on it. As cost-cutting continues at the club under Ratcliffe, there may be more United icons who speak out about where the new regime is leading the club as controversy continues to pile on to one of the world's biggest clubs.