I’m A Celebrity bosses ‘line-up Manchester United legend Eric Cantona’

I’m A Celebrity executives are reportedly lining up Eric Cantona as their ‘dream signing’ for this year’s upcoming series. 

Eric, 53, who was regarded as having played a key role in the revival of Manchester United in the 1990s, is apparently top of their list of stars they want to sign up to the hit ITV show.  

According to The Sun, show producer Richard Cowles said: ‘I just like the idea of Eric Cantona talking in French and coming up with really profound things. 

‘That would be good.’  MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment. 

Charismatic and outspoken, bosses reportedly think Eric- who is known for his eccentric behaviour- will be TV gold in the jungle. 

Cantona is affectionately nicknamed by Manchester United fans as ‘King Eric’. The crowd would chant ‘Ooh aah, Cantona’ every time Eric came onto the pitch. 

But the former Manchester United legend has had brushes with the law in the past. 

In 2014 he was previously held by police after punching a photographer in the face. 

The Frenchman, a married father of two, was arrested and bundled into a police car.

He was taken to a North London police station and held for more than six hours before accepting a caution. 

Cantona was also famously arrested and convicted of assault in January 1995 for kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan.

The incident happened during a match at Selhurst Park, when the fan hurled abuse at him after he was sent off. Cantona was sentenced to two weeks in jail.

When that was reduced on appeal to 120 hours’ community service, he reacted with a bizarre remark, telling a Press conference: ‘When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.’

He was also banned from football for eight months.

Following his retirement from football in 1997, he took up a career in cinema and had a role in the 1998 film Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett, the 2008 film French Film, and the 2009 film Looking for Eric.