Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has significantly reduced the asking price for French club OGC Nice due to the club’s recent lack of success.
Manchester United chief SirJim Ratcliffe has been left with no choice but to lower the price tag for Nice, as the 73-year-old has still not made the sale.
Ratcliffe put the French side up for sale last year, ambitously asking for a minimum fee of nearly £175m. However, this request is yet to be met by any potential investors, with the club sitting 14th in the Ligue 1 standings, just six points off the relegation zone.
Ratcliffe originally bought Nice in 2019, four years before United and like the Manchester-based club, he has so far been unable to transform them into a team that dominates European football.
Although Claude Piel’s side qualified for the Europa League this season, they sit at the bottom of the table after picking up no points, losing all six matches in the league phase.
Nice’s form this season has come as a shock to many after a successful campaign last season, finishing fourth in Ligue 1, just missing Champions League football.
Ratcliffe forced to lower Nice price
Ratcliffe’s clubs both appear to be in a downward spiral this season. The current state of Nice has left fans outraged, with fans going as far as to mob the team at their training ground. Police are currently in the process of investigating claims from two players who stated they were punched and spat on.
With pressure building at United, it’s unsurprising that he is trying to push the sale of Nice in hopes of getting one team back on track.
The Reds’ managerial situation is likely causing issues for Ratcliffe after the club sacked former head coach Ruben Amorim early in the new year, leaving the club to find a quick replacement in Michael Carrick, who will serve as interim manager until the summer.
The Ineos owner began his takeover of Old Trafford just over two years ago, now owning 29% of the club’s shares and has been granted full access of the club’s sporting control. Many are critical of the billionaires’ control of the club, with both Ratcliffe’s and United’s net worths plummeting since his arrival.
Where does this leave United?
UEFA blocked transfers between Nice and United, preventing the two clubs from benefiting from Ratcliffe’s dual ownership.
Instead, United have turned to their sister club, FC Lausanne, sending youngsters to gain valuable first-team experience.
While selling Nice may take pressure off Ratcliffe, it won’t change Man United’s ownership status. The money he would get from Nice’s sale would only enable Ratcliffe to own another two percent of the club.
If the Brit wanted to take full ownership of the Red Devils, he would have to buy out the Glazer family, but now he no longer has to split his time between the two clubs. Will this become the case for Ratcliffe?
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