It’s (finally) official, after recognition from the English Federation and the Premier League, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the co-owner of Manchester United. It has exactly 27.7%, a percentage that may increase in the coming years. For the British businessman, it is the culmination of a long search, and the beginning of new problems.
Indeed, through his company INEOS, he has already invested heavily in professional football. In France, it was OGC Nice that benefited from a financial contribution from Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Purchased by INEOS in 2019, the Riviera club has patiently built its project, and is aiming to qualify for the Champions League this season, given its current position in Ligue 1 (3rd).
But now, Ratcliffe’s new investment in Manchester United raises the issue of co-ownership, ruled out by UEFA rules, even though president Aleksandar Ceferin has suggested the rules could be relaxed. What if Nice and Manchester United find themselves qualifying for the Champions League together?
MU privileged, decline of INEOS in Nice?
According to information from Daily Telegraph, the choice is known, INEOS will ensure that OGC is “withdrawn” from control of Nice. Not that he will sell his shares, but he will leave the management of the club as it is today. It has already been assigned to Jean-Pierre Rivére and Fabrice Bocquet with Florent Ghisolfi as sports director. But the implications would also be minimal, so as not to hinder Manchester United, clearly prioritized by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The latter plans to meet UEFA leaders between now and the end of the season to clarify matters, and see what can be done to prevent either club from participating in the Champions League in case of qualification. As a reminder, the current rules say that two clubs with the same owner cannot compete in the same competition. The better of the two ranks in the championship will then benefit from a ticket for C1.
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