Sir Jim Ratcliffe blasts UEFA over “unfair” decision that boosts Manchester United’s rivals

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has blasted UEFA over a recent decision that negatively affects Manchester United and hands a boost to their Premier League rivals.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe took over 27.7% of Manchester United and control of all sporting activities at Old Trafford six months ago, and many changes have bene made since.

Former CEO Richard Arnold stepped down and is set to be replaced by former Manchester City director Omar Berrada, while former football director John Murtough has left his post and will eventually be replaced by former Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth.

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Jason Wilcox has also joined the club as technical director, with Darran Fletcher, who formerly held the position, set for a new role within United. After long deliberation, INEOS, Ratcliffe’s group, decided to keep Erik ten Hag in his job as manager.

However, one area Ratcliffe is yet to change is the playing squad. The transfer window has just opened and United have seemingly submitted multiple bids for multiple players, but there have been no incomings as of yet.

Ratcliffe has now revealed that one player, who plays for another club he owns, Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, wanted to move to United, but UEFA blocked the move, explaining that clubs owned by the same people cannot transfer between each other.

“We’ve got a player in Nice who was really interested in joining Manchester United, and I think he probably has the capability of being in the Manchester United squad,” Ratcliffe told Bloomberg.

He then described being told he could only sell the player to a Premier League club other than Manchester United. If Ratcliffe believes he is a player capable of playing at Old Trafford, United’s not being able to sign him is a huge boost to their rivals.

It would mean that should they want to sign the player, they would be able to do so without the competition of the Old Trafford club.

“They’ve said we can sell him to another Premiership club, but we can’t sell him to Manchester United, which is unfair. really. I don’t see what that achieves.”

Ratcliffe refused to mention who the player is, but it is most likely 24-year-old central defender Jean-Clair Todibo. Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday that although talks between all parties were advanced, UEFA has now blocked the move.

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