Leeds United and Manchester United share a bitter rivalry in England, and Eric Cantona crossing the divide to join Manchester United remains one of the most famous transfers in English football.
The Frenchman was part of the Leeds team that won the league title in the 1991/92 season. However, in November 1992 Leeds sold the attacker to Manchester United.
Cantona’s move from Leeds to Manchester United was met with hostility from the Elland Road faithful. However, the club felt it was good business to get £1m for a player known as a volatile maverick.
The Frenchman proved to be a catalyst for Manchester United as they won the league title in 1993 and Sir Alex Ferguson went on to build a dynasty at Old Trafford in the following decades.
Howard Wilkinson reflects on selling Eric Cantona
Selling Eric Cantona to Manchester United remains one of the infamous decisions at Leeds United as it directly led to the rise of the Red Devils.
However, legendary former Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson, who decided to sell the forward, has indicated that it was the right decision at the time.
He is not using the benefit of hindsight to judge his call almost 34 years later, and feels that at the time, he made the right decision.
“You do what you think is right at the time”, Wilkinson told The Daily Telegraph when asked about his decision to sell Cantona to Manchester United.
However, Wilkinson also indicated that he was not properly backed after Leeds won the league in 1992, which would have helped him to build on the success.
“Things don’t go as you want”, he added.
“You have ideas and other people don’t back them.”
Cantona’s impact on Manchester United was immeasurable
Eric Cantona went on to become a legend at Manchester United and remains a cult figure for the Old Trafford faithful to this day.
The Frenchman won four league titles and two FA Cups in five years and laid down the foundation for a team that became serial winners for decades.
After he moved on, Leeds never reclaimed the top-flight crown and endured more than a decade and a half away from English football’s top division before making their Premier League return in 2020.
There are several other reasons why Manchester United became a winning juggernaut, but there is no denying the fact that the catalyst came from Leeds for £1m.
History might have taken a very different turn had Leeds refused to sell the French maverick to Manchester United almost 34 years ago.
Wilko won us two titles
But he’ll be remembered for giving that lot multiple titles by selling the best player we ever had for peanuts
How good were elland rd when Eric was on the ball
The lowfields was electric
That will never ever happen again!!!!!