Sir Jim Ratcliffe has refuted claims that he could give up ownership of OGC Nice amid the possibility that his investment in Manchester United is a problem under current UEFA rules.
The rules, as they are now, state: «No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition, such control or influence,» outlining a number of different examples. Those regarding shareholder power or control are unlikely to apply to Ratcliffe as a minority owner. But «being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club» feels as though it could be applicable dependent on specific structures.
Ratcliffe's firm, INEOS of which he is co-founder and chairman but not chief executive, owns and sponsors Nice following a 2019 takeover. His buy-in with United was completed using an Isle of Man based company, Trawlers Limited, that he is sole owner of.
«There are no circumstances upon which an ownership of Nice would prevent Manchester United from playing in the Champions League. I'll be crystal clear on that,» Ratcliffe said, via the , when pressed on a potential issue with UEFA.
«It says you have to change the ownership structure. So it's all about influence and positions on the board and that sort of thing. A: the rules are changing, and B: there are shades of grey not black and white. Manchester City will probably have the problem before we have the problem because they’ve obviously got Girona,» he added, referencing the City Football Group.
reported back in November that Ratcliffe had no intention of giving up his interests in either Nice or Swiss club Lausanne and this stance hasn’t changed. The plan has never been to go fully into a multi-club
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