Fergie blames Posh
The Scot maintains old-fashioned principles and was alarmed with the England captain's rise to international fame and celebrity status, following his marriage to the Spice Girls singer.
Mrs Beckham herself has expressed a little contempt for her husband's manager in the past, disliking his tyrannical image, and the way he treats his young stars as pupils.
"He (Beckham) was blessed with great stamina, the best of all the players I've had here," Ferguson told Sports Illustrated.
"After training, he'd always be practising, practising, practising.
"But his life changed when he met his wife.
"She's in pop and David got another image.
"He's developed this fashion thing.
"I saw his transition to a different person."
The comments illustrate how strained the relationship between the two had become by the time Ferguson decided to ruthlessly off-load the player he had previously treated like a son, after dropping him for high-profile matches against Arsenal and Real Madrid.
With Beckham's latest book due to be published soon, further revelations are on the horizon, and it is clear that the bust-up was the key factor in the shock transfer to Real Madrid.
Both men issued statements offering plaudits to the other on the sealing of the deal with Real, but it seems as though there has been a breakdown in their relationship.
Meanwhile, United chief executive Peter Kenyon has attempted to explain the reasoning behind the transfer.
"When making long-term plans on the playing side, we review the age profile of our squad and, crucially, the status of key players' contracts," he told The Manchester Evening News.
"Normally, when a player has two years left on his contract, we either renew his deal or accept that it might be best he move on elsewhere, allowing us to earn a fee on his sale.
"In David's case, our approach in mid-May to his advisers about his extending his current deal, which had just two years to run, did not meet with an immediate positive response.
"Around the same time, we were approached by several clubs in Spain and Italy who were interested in buying David.
"We were also told by the player's advisers they too had been contacted by foreign clubs.
"It was, at this point, that it became clear a transfer involving David might prove beneficial not only for the club, but also for the player."
