The official confirmation of 71-year-old billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of the team came in December through a statement from the club, putting an end to months of speculation.
Ratcliffe, alongside his INEOS Group, invested close to £1 billion to secure a 27.7% ownership stake in the team, with the potential for that percentage to rise to nearly 30% through an additional investment of £238 million.
It’s noteworthy that INEOS also owns Nice, a French football club currently occupying fifth place in Ligue 1 and in contention for European football.
Due to this ownership connection, UEFA has formally acknowledged that teams owned by the same group cannot compete in the same competition.
A UEFA source, responding to inquiries, affirmed this rule to SunSport, clarifying that while Manchester United and Nice could potentially participate in different competitions, they cannot be in the same one under the revised regulations.
As things stand, Manchester United, led by manager Erik ten Hag, trail behind Tottenham by six points and Aston Villa by nine points in the race for European qualification.
Nonetheless, there remains hope for Manchester United, particularly in the FA Cup, which could serve as a pathway to European tournaments.
Should Manchester City clinch the league title, an additional league spot would be allocated to their opponents, potentially offering Manchester United a route to European qualification.
However, complications arise due to the shared ownership with Nice.
In the event that both Manchester United and Nice secure Europa League positions through their domestic league standings, priority would be given to Nice.
Consequently, Manchester United would be relegated to the Conference League, assuming they secure a Europa League berth by finishing fifth.
Yet, if Manchester United were to win the FA Cup, they would guarantee 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 position would be granted the spot.
Nevertheless, Manchester United would still receive precedence due to England’s high ranking in UEFA’s coefficient, even if both teams finish at the same position domestically.
