He insists he would not come back unless he felt capable of being a creative coach, citing Johan Cruyff as a mould-breaker when he took over at Barcelona, leading them to the European Cup in 1992.

“Would I return? Not in the near future because I have been away from football and sometimes I do not even know the names of younger players,” admitted Cantona.

“If I come back I will need to be involved in football for two or three years, because things change. If I come back it will be because I think I have something to give.

“I don’t want to be a manager like everybody else, playing the same system. I want to be like I was as a player, I want to create something.

“I remember the 1970s with Ajax, and after that Cruyff as a manager at Barcelona. It was a new system. It’s like in music, when you are a rock star and you create something new,” he told MUTV.

Cantona has backed the fight against Malcolm Glazer’s attempted takeover of United, urging the American tycoon to “buy Coca-Cola” instead.

The 38-year-old threw his support behind the Shareholders United group which is determined to keep the club out of private hands.

Asked about the possible takeover by Glazer, the Frenchman said: “I don’t think it would be a good thing. Not at all. For me, what I like and what I love about this club is the identity, the philosophy.

“If someone was to come here, we would lose everything. I am against this kind of thing because I am like a child – I am a dreamer. I don’t want these kind of people to come here.

“If it is not Manchester United, if it is not a club where he can earn so much money, do you think he would love to come? I don’t think so. If it is not like that, he can stay (in America) and buy Coca-Cola.”