Soccer - Former Manchester United manager Ferguson to leave ambassador role

MANCHESTER, England: Manchester United's most successful manager Alex Ferguson will step down as a global ambassador after the club's part-owners INEOS ended his multi-million pound contract.

Ferguson, a familiar sight in the Old Trafford director's box for years, signed an agreement with United in 2013 to be a club ambassador, receiving 2.16 million pounds ($2.82m) a year.

The split was amicable, according to a team source, who said it was one of a number of time-consuming responsibilities from which the 82-year-old Ferguson was stepping back and that he was always welcome at Old Trafford.

There have been job cuts virtually across the board at United as part of cost-saving measures at the club, which has been incurring losses for some time.

Ferguson, who will step down from his ambassadorial duties at the end of the season, led United to 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League and two Champions League titles, before he retired from management in 2013.

United are currently in 14th place after finishing a worst-ever eighth in the Premier League last season, despite spending just over 200 million pounds on players in the close season.

They have splashed out about 600 million pounds on new players since their under-fire Dutch manager Erik ten Hag took charge ahead of the 2022-23 season.

It is not known whether the cost cutting will affect other United ambassadors including former players Andy Cole, Park Ji-sung, Dwight Yorke, Denis Irwin and Bryan Robson.

Former United forward Eric Cantona called the decision scandalous and ex-United defender and pundit Rio Ferdinand said "no one is safe" at the club.

"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," Cantona wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.

"Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever!," he added before ending his message with an expletive.

Ferdinand wrote on X: "If Sir Alex can be taken out, then NO ONE IS SAFE at Man United - anyone can get it now. Ineos sending a message to ANYONE at the club?!?"

Both Cantona and Ferdinand played under Ferguson during their time at the Old Trafford club. Cantona helped the club secure four Premier League titles in five years, while Ferdinand won the Champions League and six Premier League titles.