Football: Sir Alex Ferguson leaves Manchester United again

Manchester United’s iconic manager Sir Alex Ferguson will step down as a club ambassador at the end of the season, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced publicly.

Alex Ferguson will be 83 in December and the person said the end of his ambassadorship was “amicable” and he would “always be welcome at Old Trafford” .

Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles with United and is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in football history. He is England’s most successful manager, with 28 major trophies.

Sir Alex has been the club’s ambassador since retiring after leading United to their last league title in 2013. His imminent departure comes at a time when the club is undergoing a major transformation following its part-purchase by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe in February.

United has undergone a major restructuring programme following Ratcliffe’s $1.3bn investment for a 27.7 per cent stake and has implemented cost-cutting initiatives which the club says include staff redundancies of around 250 positions.

United reported losses of $148 million in its latest accounts.

Ferguson was signed by United in 1986, at a time when the club had long since lost its place as a pre-eminent force in English football.

He ended a 26-year wait for the league title in 1993 and dominated the Premier League era until his retirement, when United were crowned champions by 11 points over Manchester City.

He also won two Champions Leagues and an unprecedented treble in 1999 as he led United to victory in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup .

Since retiring, he has regularly attended United matches, both home and away, at a time when the club is in clear decline on the pitch.

Ratcliffe took control of United’s football operations as part of his minority investment. The sporting side was previously controlled by the American Glazer family, the majority shareholder.

A new CEO, Omar Berrada , and a new sporting director, Dan Ashworth , have been put in place, while key figures from Ratcliffe-owned Ineos Sport, Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, have been appointed to the board.

Mr Ferguson remains a non-executive member of the board.