Sir Jim Ratcliffe exploring sale of French side Nice | OneFootball

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are searching for buyers for French side Nice as they seek to put their full focus on Manchester United, it has emerged.

INEOS took charge of the Ligue 1 club in 2019 but have been accused of abandoning Nice ever since their minority takeover of United in 2024, which set the group back a cool £1.25bn. Ratcliffe himself has even admitted he does not think the team are good enough to entertain him.

After both Nice and United qualified for this season's Europa League, Ratcliffe placed ownership of the former into a "blind trust" in order to satisfy UEFA's rule forbidding clubs that share owners from competing in the same tournament.

Now taking one final step back, L'Informe were the first to reveal that Ratcliffe and INEOS have enlisted the help of New York-based investment bank Lazard to find a buyer for Nice.

Ratcliffe is looking for a deal worth €250m and is said to have already attracted interest from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, who already own Newcastle United.

Unfortunately for Nice, there are significant financial issues plaguing the future of French football. Ligue 1's broadcasting agreement with DAZN collapsed just one year into a four-season agreement and the league do not currently have a way of televising their matches next season.

With no guaranteed media income, clubs are forced to offer adjusted budget projections, which will undoubtedly complicate any plans for significant investment.

INEOS paid €100m to buy Nice, with recent accounts showing €216m of investment. The group also own Swiss side Lausanne-Sport who, like Nice, sit sixth in their country's top flight.