Sir Jim Ratcliffe lowers asking price to sell club

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reoriented his sporting investment strategy in recent years, not just at Old Trafford but across multiple ventures.

At the heart of recent speculation is Ratcliffe’s attempt to sell French club OGC Nice, which he bought in 2019 but has struggled to find a buyer for nearly two years.

The asking price, originally around £130 million, has since been significantly reduced as interest remains thin.

Romain Molina reported, via X, that the asking price is getting lower and lower as time passes.

Ratcliffe’s sporting empire has seen several chances across disciplines in recent years.

INEOS remains a key figure in Formula One, holding a significant minority stake in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, where it serves as Principal Partner.

In cycling, the INEOS Grenadiers squad continues to be one of the most successful outfits on the professional circuit.

INEOS also backs INEOS Britannia, a sailing campaign that competes at the top levels of the America’s Cup.

But some partnerships have been scaled back.

Notably, Tottenham Hotspur took legal action against INEOS after the company withdrew early from a major sponsorship deal tied to its Grenadier vehicles, with Spurs reportedly seeking over £11 million in damages as a result.

A sponsorship agreement with New Zealand Rugby’s All Blacks also ended amid legal tensions and cost-saving decisions.

All of this seems to paint a picture of a sporting empire in transition.

Ratcliffe’s influence at United has been characterised by a push for financial discipline.

Changes have included staff redundancies which has been criticised by some supporters but framed as necessary.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to want to move away from managing a second top flight European club and selling them will reduce distractions that could arise from dual football operations.

A leaner sporting investment strategy may mean more focus on rebuilding the Red Devils’ squad.

But it also raises questions about how much appetite there is for long-term investment.