The official confirmation of the acquisition of the team by 71-year-old billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe came in December via a statement released by the club, putting an end to months of speculation.
Ratcliffe, along with his INEOS Group, invested close to £1 billion to obtain a 27.7% ownership stake in the team, with the potential for that stake to rise to nearly 30% with an additional investment of £238 million.
It is noteworthy that Nice, a French football club currently occupying the fifth position in Ligue 1 and poised for European football, is also owned by the INEOS company.
Due to these ownership connections, UEFA has officially acknowledged that teams owned by the same group are prohibited from competing in the same tournament.
A UEFA insider, approached for comment, affirmed this regulation to SunSport, clarifying that while both Manchester United and Nice could potentially participate in different tournaments, they are not permitted to compete in the same one as a result of the regulation changes.
Presently, Manchester United, under the management of Erik ten Hag, lag behind Tottenham by six points and Aston Villa by nine points in the race for European qualification.
However, there remains optimism for Manchester United, especially in the FA Cup, which could offer a route to European tournaments.
Should Manchester City clinch the league title, an additional league spot would be earned by their opponents, potentially creating a pathway to European qualification for Manchester United.
However, complications arise due to the shared ownership with Nice.
If both Manchester United and Nice secure Europa League positions through their domestic league standings, precedence would be given to Nice.
Consequently, Manchester United would be relegated to the Conference League if they secure a Europa League berth via a fifth-place finish.
Nevertheless, if Manchester United were to win the FA Cup, they would secure a place in the Conference League, while Nice would be demoted to the same competition.
In the scenario where both teams qualify for the Champions League, the team with the superior domestic league standing would be granted the spot.
Nonetheless, Manchester United would still be prioritized due to England’s high ranking in UEFA’s coefficient, even if both teams finish at the same position domestically.