Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘puts Nice up for sale’ as asking price is revealed, after Man United minority owner admitted he ‘didn’t enjoy watching them’ and they ‘were better WITHOUT INEOS interference’

• INEOS not involved in  day-to-day running of club due to UEFA rules
• French club cost Ratcliffe €100 million (£85.3 million) back in 2019
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By NATHAN JOHNS

Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly exploring the sale of Ligue 1 club Nice. 

Ratcliffe’s company, Ineos, bought 100% of the French club for a price of €100 million (£85.3 million) back in 2019. 

Speaking in March, Ratcliffe said he didn’t enjoy watching his French side due to the standard of football. 

‘I don’t particularly enjoy going to watch Nice because there are some good players, but the level of football is not high enough for me to get excited,’ Ratcliffe told The Times.

‘The best season that Nice has had is this one, where we’ve not been allowed to get involved because of multi-club ownership rules. 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe owns 100% of Nice despite stepping back from day-to-day control this year 

Nice are currently sixth in Ligue 1 but recently ended PSG’s bid for an unbeaten campaign

Sir Jim Ratcliffe also has a minority stake in Manchester United through his company INEOS

‘They’ve been so much better without our interference!’

UEFA does not permit clubs with a shared owner taking part in the same competition. 

As a result, with both Nice and Manchester United in this year’s Europa League, Ratcliffe and INEOS put the French side in the control of a blind trust. 

Reports indicate that New York investment bank Lazard has been brought in by INEOS in order to find a buyer for the French club. 

According to The Athletic, the asking new asking price for Nice is €250 million (£213.2 million). 

The French club is currently sixth in Ligue 1, level on points with Lyon. 

Last weekend, Nice beat PSG to end the French champions’ bid to become the first Ligue 1 side to complete an unbeaten season. 

The potential sale comes after United were hit with a second round of staff redundancies since Ratcliffe completed his partial takeover last February.

Dan Ashworth left Manchester United just five months after becoming their sporting director

Under Ratcliffe and Ineos, Ruben Amorim was hired as Erik ten Hag’s replacement 

Eight months ago, Ratcliffe let 250 staff go, and he wants to reduce the head count at United by a further 200 people.

Richard Hawkins, United’s director of football insights and innovations, and David Harrison, director of football operations, have both been told they will not have roles at the club moving forward.

In February, sporting director Dan Ashworth left the club just five months after joining the club. 

In March, Ratcliffe claimed that United may well have gone bust by Christmas if he did not implement cost-cutting measures. 

In the same month, United revealed plans for a new 100,000 seater stadium. 

The cost of the new development is reported to be £2 billion. 

Under Ratcliffe, the club has also raised ticket prices, with next season’s cost set to increase by roughly £2.50 per game. 

Ratcliffe and INEOS have also presided over a change of manager, handing Erik ten Hag a new contract only to sack him in the middle of this season. 

Ruben Amorim was hired from Sporting Lisbon to replace the Dutchman.  

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘puts Nice up for sale’ as asking price is revealed, after Man United minority owner admitted he ‘didn’t enjoy watching them’ and they ‘were better WITHOUT INEOS interference’

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