Sir Alex Ferguson's opinion of Jim Ratcliffe as his Man Utd contract brutally terminated

Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorial role at Manchester United is set to end next year amid a series of brutal cost-cutting measures put in place by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has terminated Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorial contract with Manchester United despite the pair's friendly relationship.

On Tuesday, it emerged that the agreement, said to be worth more than £2million per year, has been cancelled amid Ineos' cost-cutting programme, which has already seen 250 United employees lose their jobs. A few months after retiring, Ferguson, who won 38 trophies as Red Devils boss, signed on as a global ambassador for the club and has remained in the role for over a decade.

However, in a face-to-face meeting with Ratcliffe, 71, Ferguson, 82, was informed that the club would terminate the deal at the end of the season. According to The Athletic, the 13-time Premier League champion bears no ill feelings about the decision, and both parties had an amicable understanding.

Given the long-standing cordial relationship between Ferguson and Ratcliffe, the Scot's reaction comes as little surprise. As the billionaire was finalising his acquisition of a minority stake in United last year, Ferguson said he felt "optimistic" about Ratcliffe and the impact he might have on the club.

"I am still a director of the club and I know Jim [Ratcliffe] well," he said at the time. "We shall have to see what he does but I am optimistic."

Ferguson and Ratcliffe have been pictured sitting together or near each other at various United matches over the past year. After joining him in the director's box for the club's 2-2 with Tottenham back in January, Ratcliffe was full of praise for the legendary Scot.

"He was the first person I met when I went up there which I think was the second week of January and I had a meeting from 9am to 10am at his house and I left at 1pm," Ratcliffe said. "He never stopped. He’s got a lot of experience, a lot of stories to tell and a lot of thoughts about the club.

"I don’t think he has been encouraged to get involved but he is still very thoughtful about the club and he has an immense amount of experience. He really understands the values and traditions of the club and what it’s all about. He’s still fiercely competitive, Alex Ferguson."

Despite the amicable nature of his impending departure, it's understood Ferguson has been saddened to see so many former colleagues and friends lose their jobs as part of Ineos' wide-ranging job cuts.

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