According to a report, INEOS, minority owners of Manchester United, are considering selling French club Nice due in part to an agreement with UEFA.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the founder, chair, and CEO of INEOS, acquired a 27% stake in Manchester United earlier this year. He has also owned Nice for the past five years. However, this arrangement has drawn scrutiny from UEFA. Both United and Nice are slated to participate in next season’s Europa League, but UEFA regulations prohibit two clubs under the same ownership from competing in the same European competition.
Although Ratcliffe’s stake in Manchester United falls within UEFA’s 30% threshold, he has been given one season to disengage from one of the clubs he is associated with.
Reports from The Independent indicate that Ratcliffe has opted to put Nice up for sale. Additionally, he aims to focus more on his involvement with Manchester United, a club he has supported since childhood.
The sale of Nice may encounter challenges due to the decline of French football, compounded by the failure to secure a TV rights deal for the 2024/25 season. Nevertheless, the club’s location on the Mediterranean coast is expected to attract potential buyers.
Amidst these developments, several Nice players have been linked with exits, reflecting uncertainties surrounding Ligue 1’s financial landscape. Players like Jean-Clair Todibo, Khephren Thuram, and Marcin Bulka have been rumored to depart the Allianz Riviera.
Meanwhile, Manchester United is still deliberating over the future of manager Erik ten Hag. Despite earlier reports suggesting his imminent dismissal after the FA Cup final, his tenure remains undecided following an unexpected victory over Manchester City.
