INEOS-owned OGC Nice barred from making contact with Manchester United owners

INEOS-owned OGC Nice have been barred from making contact with Manchester United owners to comply with UEFA rules regarding multi-club ownership, according to L’Equipe. Both Nice and Manchester United will make their Europa League debut tonight with Franck Haise’s Les Aiglons hosting Real Sociedad and Erik Ten Hag’s Red Devils facing FC Twente. The outlet understands that INEOS have been asked to temporarily distance themselves from the Ligue 1 side, for both teams to compete in the Europa League.

Last season, RedBird Capital had to go through the same process to allow Toulouse and AC Milan to compete in UEFA tournaments. It means that Nice are, theoretically, completely independent from the British chemical company. L’Equipe understands that the Ligue 1 club’s shares have been placed in a trust until June 30, 2025 and that the Nice executives have been barred from making contact with the Manchester United owners, including with INEOS Sport CEO Jean-Claude Blanc.

Furthermore, INEOS could not raise Nice’s budget following Ligue 1’s domestic TV rights debacle and no Nice player could sign for Manchester United, the latter seems to have derailed Jean-Clair Todibo’s reported move to Old Trafford.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval