Ratcliffe's Nice sale collapses at deadline as American consortium pulls out

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid to offload OGC Nice has collapsed after an American consortium pulled out at the eleventh hour, leaving the French club set to remain under INEOS control heading into the 2026/27 season.

Ratcliffe and INEOS had set a hard deadline of June 15 to complete the sale, but Nice Matin — via Get Football News France — report the deal has fallen through entirely. The prospective buyers had progressed far enough to visit Nice’s training ground before ultimately failing to provide the financial guarantees and sporting stability assurances required to satisfy the sellers.

Ratcliffe purchased Nice through INEOS in 2019, but his focus has shifted markedly since his investment into Manchester United at the end of 2023. He had already reduced his asking price in an attempt to facilitate a deal. In an interview with the Times last year, he was candid about his diminishing enthusiasm for the club: “I don’t particularly enjoy going to watch Nice because there are some good players, but the level of football is not high enough for me to get excited.”

The timing is awkward on the pitch as well. Nice endured a disastrous season that nearly ended in relegation, surviving only on the final day of the Ligue 1 campaign. Interim manager Claude Puel — formerly of Leicester and Southampton — is not expected to be retained on a permanent basis.

According to L’Equipe, Nice have approached Liam Rosenior as a potential successor. Rosenior built his reputation in France managing Strasbourg before joining Chelsea at the start of 2026, though he lasted just four months at Stamford Bridge and is currently understood to be considering a break from management.

Elsewhere, Ratcliffe’s summer business at Manchester United is moving forward. The club have agreed a deal to sign goalkeeper Ederson from Atalanta, with the Brazilian set to join Michael Carrick’s squad after the World Cup. United are also pursuing West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, identified as a priority target, with Arsenal having withdrawn from the race after balking at his £80 million valuation.