Man Utd fan claims Jim Ratcliffe takeover delay is linked to conflict of interest with Nice

A journalist and Manchester United fan has claimed why he believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in the club has been delayed.

People say that a day is a long time in football, never mind a year. That doesn't appear to be the case at Old Trafford, though, as over 12 months after the Glazers put the club up for sale, little has changed.

The Glazer family have since gone back on their decision to sell their controlling stake in United but they have agreed to bring Sir Jim Ratcliffe on as a minority investor.

The CEO of the INEOS chemicals group went head to head with Sheikh Jassim in an attempt to buy United outright, but he has settled for a 25% stake in the club.

Ratcliffe will reportedly invest around £1.25 billion in the club, and is expected to shake up the footballing hierarchy at Old Trafford.

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However, months have passed since Ratcliffe's investment was reported and still there has been no official confirmation of the deal. So what's the hold-up?

According to journalist and United supporter Andy Mitten, Ratcliffe's involvement in French club Nice has delayed the process significantly.

Speaking on the Talk of the Devils podcast, Mitten said: "There are issues that still need ironing out. My understanding is that it's to do with Nice and should they qualify for the Champions League, because Ineos have basically gone public and said that they would be in charge of the sporting side [of United]. So that's where I understand some of the complications are. It's a vert complex deal as well, and it's a club in a state of flux, there's a lot of uncertainty."

Since INEOS bought Nice in 2019, Ratcliffe has not been shy about his desire to bring Champions League football to the French Riviera.

Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have endured a miserable season. (Image: Getty)

However, UEFA rules state that no one person can be "simultaneously involved" in management, administration and/or sporting performance of any club and they must not have any "control or decisive influence" over more than one club.

Given that Ratcliffe plans to oversee the sporting side of things at Old Trafford, it seems unlikely that both United and Nice would be able to compete in the Champions League in the same season.

It should be said that Nice have failed to qualify for the Champions League since INEOS bought the club. Meanwhile, having just suffered elimination from this year's group stage, Erik ten Hag's side face an uphill struggle to qualify for the 2024/25 competition.