Just months after helping Leeds pip United to the 1991/92 First Division title, Cantona was leaving Elland Road for Old Trafford. A move which would spark United's greatest winning era.
Speaking to Tribalfootball.com, Strachan admits leaving Leeds was the right decision for all concerned at the time - this despite what the mercurial Frenchman offered.
"I remember (manager) Howard Wilkinson coming to me and saying that Manchester United wanted to sign Eric Cantona," said Strachan. "It was roughly the same time that Leeds tried to sign Denis Irwin from United, but they knocked that offer back.
"I think you have remember that we were not the greatest group of players, but as a whole, we were formidable. Eric came in and helped us on many occasions, whether it be scoring a goal at a crucial time or similar. He was a big player for us, there’s no doubt about it.
"However, everyone in that Leeds team had working dungarees on – we had to plough through matches a lot of the time because none of us had much magic on the ball. Eric, on the other hand, had magic."
Strachan, who won the FA Cup with Manchester United, also reasoned: "Eric was bumping around clubs throughout the early stages of his career before he joined Leeds. He was getting sent off and was fighting with people – that was his manner. I think Manchester United were the only club at the time that could have facilitated him.
"There were some young players who needed to go under the radar while they developed at Old Trafford, so Eric was the catalyst to really spark some of them into life, alongside Sir Alex (Ferguson) of course."
While some at Leeds felt Cantona left too soon, Strachan is adamant the striker was never going to reach the heights of the previous season if he had stayed.
He continued: "To be honest, we weren’t playing as magically as we were the previous year, and we needed to get back to the basics of a football team. Eric wasn’t that type of player – he had more flair and imagination that us.
"There was just one team for him at the time and that was Manchester United. Nobody knew at the time, but it was a perfect storm, and he went there at the right time. His time at Leeds was up and he knew that – he wanted to move on about a month before the move happened.
"There was no coming back for Eric and for him to work with us as a group – Wilkinson will tell you that too. But we were always grateful for his contribution when he was with us, and I hope he remembers that we were good for him as well."
- Gordon Strachan was speaking to Tribalfootball on behalf of Covers.com soccer betting