Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, has taken decisive action in his attempt to sell French football club OGC Nice, reportedly slashing the asking price by a significant margin.
Price Drop as Sale Deadline Looms
According to a report from Bloomberg, Ratcliffe's Ineos group had initially been seeking more than €200 million (approximately £173 million) for a full sale of the Ligue 1 side. However, after putting the club on the market last year, a lack of interest from investors willing to meet that valuation has forced a rethink.
The advisory firm Lazard Inc., brought in to broker a deal, has seen the valuation "come down significantly" in an effort to attract a buyer in the coming weeks and months. A primary stumbling block is the ongoing uncertainty surrounding French football's domestic television rights, following the collapse of DAZN's agreement.
Mixed Legacy and Current Struggles
Any sale would conclude Ineos's nearly seven-year ownership of Nice, a period that has yielded mixed results on and off the pitch. The club, nicknamed Les Aiglons, is currently languishing in 14th place in Ligue 1, just six points above the relegation zone.
Their difficulties have been compounded in Europe, where they have failed to secure a single point in this season's Europa League group stage. This underwhelming performance has led to mounting criticism of the club's management in recent years.
Parallel Turmoil at Manchester United
The move to offload Nice comes at a time of significant turbulence at Ratcliffe's other major football project, Manchester United. Despite some glimmers of progress after a poor Premier League finish last season, the club has been rocked by the dismissal of head coach Ruben Amorim.
Amorim, the first permanent appointment under Ratcliffe's new sporting structure, publicly clashed with the board over his role, insisting he was hired as a "manager" with broader responsibilities, not merely a "head coach." His departure and the interim appointment of Michael Carrick have piled pressure on Ineos to make the right choice for a permanent successor.
The situation at Nice underscores the broader challenges facing Ratcliffe's football investments, with both clubs requiring clear vision and stable leadership to navigate back to success.
