Club Sale | It’s done!

[Godfather]

This just isn’t true. You can tell yourself it is, but it isn’t.

So up to know, owned by Yanks that squeezed us dry, we were a club full of soul but the moment we get state owned and hopefully properly funded this ends?

 

[Adnan]

It really doesn't, you have Ramsey and Kasper there and that's really it.

Pepe is on loan and only 27 years old.

You have been taken in by the fears on here.

Schmeichel, Ramsey, Barkley, Pepe, Schneiderin and a 39 year old Dante have been brought in by INEOS. And it's no surprise they're lagging behind Marseille and Rennes.

 

[Red in STL]

Yeah, think stadium renovation is more of an issue for new owners after the sale has concluded. Glazers aren't going to complicate the sale attaching such post-sale conditions to an already massive asking price. If anything they'll want that extra billion in their pockets. Can't imagine they'll suddenly grow a heart. They're leaving and have even less reason to give a feck than they already did.

The problem is that people are making comparisons to the Chelsea sale but they are 2 completely different scenarios, Abrahmovich had to sell in a hurry, if he hadn't Chelsea wouldn't exist anymore, the Glazers want to sell but they don't actually have to, it's their choice

 

[devilish]

There seem to be plenty of posturing going on with Jimmy's camp coming out reiterating that he will not overpay and with the Glazers pushing back that he might not have the funds to buy United. The former is reasonable as anyone would try to chip a couple of hundred million out of the bill of a seriously overpriced football club. However the latter is unusual. I mean many think that Bentleys/Ferraris/Porshe are seriously overpriced. However you don't see the Agnellis/ Porsche-Piëch wasting any time debating that. You either pay up or you can feck off as you're just wasting time to the next millionaire in the queue. Maybe there aren't that many potential buyers for United which is forcing the Glazers to 'dance' with SJR.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

It's probably because some of us are desperate that we don't end up being owned by a state ownership and become like PSG/City and co. Frankly for me anyone is better than that and I couldn't even care less if that meant we don't get as much investment as some people demand. I don't want us to become a soulless entity and the excuse of "it doesn't matter who owns us" doesn't fly with me.

Thing is with PSG they are in a league nobody outside France cares about, so the only way they could get attention is sign big name players to raise their profile. City needed a lot of players and they basically went on a splurge, but also realised in the long term they needed the best manager out there. Newcastle to me are doing it the right way, building gradually, brought in what we are now seeing as a very good manage, they also have a very strong noisy fan base home or away. These three clubs are having to build their world wide fan base. Manchester United are world famous, but a bit in the doldrums, with a massive fan base, we have a head start on the others in that department. We need some signings, but the basis of a great side is there, we have employed a very good manager. The major outlay is if they will pay the debts off, the amount the Glazers want and have the acumen to resolve the stadium/infrastructure issues without crippling us financially. That narrows down the options.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Schmeichel, Ramsey, Barkley, Pepe, Schneiderin and a 39 year old Dante have been brought in by INEOS. And it's no surprise they're lagging behind Marseille and Rennes.

He has joined and Aussie club. Saw it on Sky Sports earlier.

 

[Champ]

Schmeichel, Ramsey, Barkley, Pepe, Schneiderin and a 39 year old Dante have been brought in by INEOS. And it's no surprise they're lagging behind Marseille and Rennes.

Again, the average age of their squad is 24, hardly a retirement home is it.

Pepe is 27, and was regarded as a good player in France before his spell at Arsenal.

Schmeichel is still an international keeper, so again hardly close to retiring.

Dante was there before Ineos took over!

Damn facts.

 

[RedSky]

Thing is with PSG they are in a league nobody outside France cares about, so the only way they could get attention is sign big name players to raise their profile. City needed a lot of players and they basically went on a splurge, but also realised in the long term they needed the best manager out there. Newcastle to me are doing it the right way, building gradually, brought in what we are now seeing as a very good manage, they also have a very strong noisy fan base home or away. These three clubs are having to build their world wide fan base. Manchester United are world famous, but a bit in the doldrums, with a massive fan base, we have a head start on the others in that department. We need some signings, but the basis of a great side is there, we have employed a very good manager. The major outlay is if they will pay the debts off, the amount the Glazers want and have the acumen to resolve the stadium/infrastructure issues without crippling us financially. That narrows down the options.

No amount of arguing will make me think that state ownership is good for Manchester United. It would for me rip the heart and soul of the club. It would be just another nail in the coffin of football.

I'd sooner keep the Glazers, honestly.

 

[RopersReturn]

Have to say I’m overly enamoured at the prospect of Sir sonny boy Jim taking over. If the state of Nice is anything to go by, then they’ll be long absences and not much Ineos money to re-invest.

 

[Adnan]

Again, the average age of their squad is 24, hardly a retirement home is it.

Pepe is 27, and was regarded as a good player in France before his spell at Arsenal.

Schmeichel is still an international keeper, so again hardly close to retiring.

Dante was there before Ineos took over!

Damn facts.

Again, the average age of their squad is 24, hardly a retirement home is it.

Pepe is 27, and was regarded as a good player in France before his spell at Arsenal.

Schmeichel is still an international keeper, so again hardly close to retiring.

Dante was there before Ineos took over!

Damn facts.

It's not about the average age but rather about the strategy going forward. And their strategy from a strategical POV looks flawed in the 3 years they've been at the club. We're talking about a multi-billion £ company owning Nice, and in the 3 years they've been owner's, they haven't been able to compete with the likes of Marseille and Rennes.

Pepe and Schmeichel were on the downward spiral and Dante still being their at the age of 39 is a indictment on whatever strategy they implemented to recruit players. France has been a talent factory for some of the biggest CBs talents in Europe, but a 39 year old Dante is still on their books.

The only fact right now is the league table after 3 years of their ownership and it doesn't look pretty when compared to the likes of Marseille and Rennes.

 

[Suv666]

Is he bluffing?



The problem with Ratcliffe's ownership at Nice isn't that he isn't competing with PSG but rather that he hasn't been competing with the likes of Marseille or Rennes for champions league places.

Recruitment has also been questionable at Nice where they've signed past it players rather than identify young talent in arguably the biggest talent factory in Europe, which is France imo.

Wouldn't be surprised if he was in just for the clout. The Chelsea bid was clearly a publicity stunt as well.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Is he bluffing?



The problem with Ratcliffe's ownership at Nice isn't that he isn't competing with PSG but rather that he hasn't been competing with the likes of Marseille or Rennes for champions league places.

Recruitment has also been questionable at Nice where they've signed past it players rather than identify young talent in arguably the biggest talent factory in Europe, which is France imo.

To be fair for the first two years they allowed the existing structure to have a chance, which was fair considering they had a 3rd place finish a few seasons before.
They’ve now got a new guy, extremely highly rates in, so they certainly aren’t Glazer esque when it comes to appointing the right people. Let’s see where INEOS own direction with their own DoF takes them.

 

[Adnan]

To be fair for the first two years they allowed the existing structure to have a chance, which was fair considering they had a 3rd place finish a few seasons before.
They’ve now got a new guy, extremely highly rates in, so they certainly aren’t Glazer esque when it comes to appointing the right people. Let’s see where INEOS own direction with their own DoF takes them.

That's a fair point, I wasn't aware of that. Apologies.

I think with the new head of football from Lens, things will only get better.

 

[wolvored]

This is absolute horseshit. No fecking way are the Glazers selling the club for 4 billion.

Unless they have been whoring the club around everywhere and that is the best anyone has offered. Remember a (rounded numbers) 500 mill debt, 300 mill transfer deficit, and a possible 1 bill ground refit/new build has to be added on. That then takes it around 5 bill and possible 6 billion. Thats a fair whack for anyone to piss away, with only a small possible way of recouping the money in the future, as in they would have to find a buyer who would be willing to pay 6 billion minimum for the club.

 

[Amir]

I see that first paragraph and I agree. There will always be risks involved. But better an unknown quantity than one that has shown not to be competitive or ambitious enough.

Has he? Nice is a just a totally different world, especially in a PSG controlled league. Or do you expect them to go head to head with PSG financially?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Has he? Nice is a just a totally different world, especially in a PSG controlled league. Or do you expect them to go head to head with PSG financially?

Nobody would expect him to challenge PSG, but you would think he would try to at least get CL football.

 

[Infra-red]

There seem to be plenty of posturing going on with Jimmy's camp coming out reiterating that he will not overpay and with the Glazers pushing back that he might not have the funds to buy United. The former is reasonable as anyone would try to chip a couple of hundred million out of the bill of a seriously overpriced football club. However the latter is unusual. I mean many think that Bentleys/Ferraris/Porshe are seriously overpriced. However you don't see the Agnellis/ Porsche-Piëch wasting any time debating that. You either pay up or you can feck off as you're just wasting time to the next millionaire in the queue. Maybe there aren't that many potential buyers for United which is forcing the Glazers to 'dance' with SJR.

I suspect that this might well be the case. I still think that the analysis in The Athletic in December (citing various unnamed ME experts) is fundamentally correct ie that ME nation states are unlikely to be involved in outright purchase attempts of United - those that want to buy a Premier League club, already have done and the others either aren't interested or don't see any value at the Glazers' asking price.

All will be revealed soon enough (assuming interested parties abide by Raine's timeline - given United's dreadful recent financial results, prospective bidders might instead be tempted to hold back and wait until the Glazers are really desperate, perhaps later this year or next).

 

[Champ]

It's not about the average age but rather about the strategy going forward. And their strategy from a strategical POV looks flawed in the 3 years they've been at the club. We're talking about a multi-billion £ company owning Nice, and in the 3 years they've been owner's, they haven't been able to compete with the likes of Marseille and Rennes.

Pepe and Schmeichel were on the downward spiral and Dante still being their at the age of 39 is a indictment on whatever strategy they implemented to recruit players. France has been a talent factory for some of the biggest CBs talents in Europe, but a 39 year old Dante is still on their books.

The only fact right now is the league table after 3 years of their ownership and it doesn't look pretty when compared to the likes of Marseille and Rennes.

Dante is captain, that's a decision not made by INEOS, but rather the manager.

Brailsford and INEOs have stated they are arriving to improve the youth structure at the club to enable them to create young players to sell on. They have also stated that they aim to buy young hungry players, which they have done mainly.
The older players they have brough in tend to be on loan or on a free, and I think a player like Schmeichel is an astute signing for a team like Nice, although it hasn't quite worked out that way.

I think you fail to comprehend also that Nice are heavily held back by FFP as to what they can spend, hence INEOS concentrating on building talent to sell in order to make money and build.

I get people have their own opinions, it just seems that some peoples opinions are based on what they read on twitter rather than digging deeper and doing some research.

Also it's ironic you keep bringing up Rennes, where did Rennes marquee signing come from? Oh yeah, Nice. That should give you some indication of where Nice currently lie, and have been way before INEOS took over.
INEOS will not be able to bring Nice out of that position in three fecking years, it will take time. Something which again INEOs have repeatedly stated over and over again.

 

[Member 101269]

Is he bluffing?



The problem with Ratcliffe's ownership at Nice isn't that he isn't competing with PSG but rather that he hasn't been competing with the likes of Marseille or Rennes for champions league places.

Recruitment has also been questionable at Nice where they've signed past it players rather than identify young talent in arguably the biggest talent factory in Europe, which is France imo.

He cannot compete with the big boys. It seems they chose a public announcement to harness the fan base while undermining everyone else. I said it early on this isn't new

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Whoever comes in is going to need big pockets to compete. The transfer fees won’t go down and investment in infrastructure is going to be expensive.

 

[stw2022]

Is he bluffing?



The problem with Ratcliffe's ownership at Nice isn't that he isn't competing with PSG but rather that he hasn't been competing with the likes of Marseille or Rennes for champions league places.

Recruitment has also been questionable at Nice where they've signed past it players rather than identify young talent in arguably the biggest talent factory in Europe, which is France imo.

I think that's been obvious since the start. Serious people interested in the investment don't stumble on their heels running to tell the press.

His interested is the publicity and exposure in relentlessly pushing the narrative he's involved.

 

[Mingus]

My worry about Ineos and Ratcliffe would not be how they are running Nice or FC Lausanne, but more how they approach their general business.

There's an interesting video on YT that is title something like "Why Britain's richest man bought OGC Nice...." that sheds light on a few dark corners.

 

[Adnan]

Dante is captain, that's a decision not made by INEOS, but rather the manager.

Brailsford and INEOs have stated they are arriving to improve the youth structure at the club to enable them to create young players to sell on. They have also stated that they aim to buy young hungry players, which they have done mainly.
The older players they have brough in tend to be on loan or on a free, and I think a player like Schmeichel is an astute signing for a team like Nice, although it hasn't quite worked out that way.

I think you fail to comprehend also that Nice are heavily held back by FFP as to what they can spend, hence INEOS concentrating on building talent to sell in order to make money and build.

I get people have their own opinions, it just seems that some peoples opinions are based on what they read on twitter rather than digging deeper and doing some research.

Also it's ironic you keep bringing up Rennes, where did Rennes marquee signing come from? Oh yeah, Nice. That should give you some indication of where Nice currently lie, and have been way before INEOS took over.
INEOS will not be able to bring Nice out of that position in three fecking years, it will take time. Something which again INEOs have repeatedly stated over and over again.

Dante's contract was extended by the current board and the managers (Galtier/Favre) have either left the club due to being unhappy or being sacked in Favre's case.

Brailsford and INEOS may say alot of things but the truth is that they have failed to compete with the likes of Marseille or Rennes. Marseille in particular is making their football decisions via people from footballing backgrounds. Pablo Longoria who is the President has a footballing background, Javier Ribalta who was briefly at United is the Sporting director and they have taken three of United's French scouts to prop up a footballing structure that is enabling them to compete for champions league places. Nice have been held back by the decisions of those on the football side of the club in comparison to their counterparts at Marseille. The new head of football from Lens is a step in the right direction in that regard and can only improve them as far as having a vision going forward on the football side of the club.

It's common sense to have a football structure run by people from a footballing background. It doesn't really require much research to be honest with you. The most successful clubs in the world benefit from it.

I don't need to bring up Rennes and can just make my point using Marseille or even Monaco currently. But the difference is that those clubs have been operating with people who understand the footballing and staffing requirements on the football side of the club and hence its no surprise they're above Nice in the French League. But the appointment of a new head of football from Lens is a step in the right direction for INEOS, and empowering him and his team of scouts/analysts etc is the way to go.

 

[Champ]

Dante's contract was extended by the current board and the managers (Galtier/Favre) have either left the club due to being unhappy or being sacked in Favre's case.

Brailsford and INEOS may say alot of things but the truth is that they have failed to compete with the likes of Marseille or Rennes. Marseille in particular is making their football decisions via people from footballing backgrounds. Pablo Longoria who is the President has a footballing background, Javier Ribalta who was briefly at United is the Sporting director and they have taken three of United's French scouts to prop up a footballing structure that is enabling them to compete for champions league places. Nice have been held back by the decisions of those on the football side of the club in comparison to their counterparts at Marseille. The new head of football from Lens is a step in the right direction in that regard and can only improve them as far as having a vision going forward on the football side of the club.

It's common sense to have a football structure run by people from a footballing background. It doesn't really require much research to be honest with you. The most successful clubs in the world benefit from it.

I don't need to bring up Rennes and can just make my point using Marseille or even Monaco currently. But the difference is that those clubs have been operating with people who understand the footballing and staffing requirements on the football side of the club and hence its no surprise they're above Nice in the French League. But the appointment of a new head of football from Lens is a step in the right direction for INEOS, and empowering him and his team of scouts/analysts etc is the way to go.

Marseille and Monaco are bigger, far bigger clubs than Nice. Which is something you fail to comprehend in trying to prove your point.

Again, you often appear to be a wise poster, but here you are coming across like a typical Fairweather follower of football, in claiming that a perennial mid table team who have minimal income for FFP can become challengers in three years when the beginning of those years were during COVID with no income coming in due to behind closed door games and TV rights in France being reduced.
It just doesn't work that way and I'm pretty sure if you thought about it rather than focused on the supposedly bad parts of INEOs then you'd agree.

 

[Señor Sloppy]

No amount of arguing will make me think that state ownership is good for Manchester United. It would for me rip the heart and soul of the club. It would be just another nail in the coffin of football.

I'd sooner keep the Glazers, honestly.

I disagree with your point of view on state ownership but agree that arguing about it is a futile endeavour. Ethics and morals are very complex and personal matters, with the "heart and soul of the club" being a very abstract concept indeed. Arguing one man's definitions of these against another's only leads in circles.

Nobody would expect him to challenge PSG, but you would think he would try to at least get CL football.

I think saying that Ratcliffe didn't "try" to get Nice to the Champions League is a bit harsh. To illustrate, see Nice's transfer net spend for the 4 seasons both before and after INEOS took over:

Post-takeover
22/23 = €37.1m
21/22 = €28.95m
20/21 = €8.72m
19/20 = €29.09m

Pre-Takeover
18/19 = -€33.7m
17/18 = -€1.2m
16/17 = -€0.55m
15/16 = -€9.9m

What the above figures definitively demonstrate is that INEOS have a clear ambition and commitment to improving Nice.

 

[Amir]

Nobody would expect him to challenge PSG, but you would think he would try to at least get CL football.

They finished fifth last season, three points from a CL place. Does it mean they didn't try?

Obviously they are not doing well this season, but again - it doesn't mean they aren't trying.

 

[Mr. Robot]

There’s a game on, like.

 

[Godfather]

Has he? Nice is a just a totally different world, especially in a PSG controlled league. Or do you expect them to go head to head with PSG financially?

They are not even close which is the problem. For a multi billionaire owning the club you'd expect better performances. Also these transfer numbers post take-ower are nothing but cute.
There's just nothing at this stage that can convince me he'd be the right guy for us.

 

[lsd]

They are not even close which is the problem. For a multi billionaire owning the club you'd expect better performances. Also these transfer numbers post take-ower are nothing but cute.
There's just nothing at this stage that can convince me he'd be the right guy for us.

Who do you think would be right for us?

 

[Amir]

They are not even close which is the problem. For a multi billionaire owning the club you'd expect better performances. Also these transfer numbers post take-ower are nothing but cute.

Ratcliffe has obviously got plenty of money, but whose to say he should pump it into Nice? Why is it wrong for an owner, even a very rich one, to help fund the club but not spend huge sums on it?

I just want an owner who'll allow United to run in a healthy fashion, out of the club's own revenue, without taking money away or hand us his own money for transfers.

 

[Godfather]

Who do you think would be right for us?

I've covered that already. I'd prefer Dubai

 

[Godfather]

Ratcliffe has obviously got plenty of money, but whose to say he should pump it into Nice? Why is it wrong for an owner, even a very rich one, to help fund the club but not spend huge sums on it?

I just want an owner who'll allow United to run in a healthy fashion, out of the club's own revenue, without taking money away or hand us his own money for transfers.

Nothing. He can do with his money as he pleases.
I just don't want him at United then. And as mentioned at this point nothing can convince me otherwise. Put a clause in the SPA that he'll invest a billion for club infrastructure, recruiting and training facilites and we might talk.

 

[Señor Sloppy]

Ratcliffe has obviously got plenty of money, but whose to say he should pump it into Nice? Why is it wrong for an owner, even a very rich one, to help fund the club but not spend huge sums on it?

I just want an owner who'll allow United to run in a healthy fashion, out of the club's own revenue, without taking money away or hand us his own money for transfers.

Good points.

Also worth remembering that Nice has never been INEOS Sports' ultimate flagship for their footballing stable. Rather, Nice is simply a relatively obscure stepping stone for them to cut their teeth as football club owners, before they felt comfortable to pursue an opportunity to purchase a truly elite club.
Therefore, it stands to reason that the level of investment they would extend to Manchester United would be far higher than that which they've provided to Nice.

 

[simonhch]

A shite basketball team in the US just sold for $4b, that is 13x their yearly revenue. United will go for $6b or more.

I never said they wouldn’t. In fact in another post I said I expect us to go for between 5.5 and 6bn. My post was correcting the poster who said Chelsea went for 4.25bn. Which they didn’t.

 

[simonhch]

Before sighing and ridiculing, perhaps get numbers right hahaha It was £2.5bn + £1.75bn for investment.

Doesn’t really matter does it? The point was the massive error in saying they went for 4.25bn and basing our valuation off that, when it’s well publicised that a massive part was promised investment, and the myth has been debunked on here multiple times. But I’ll let you have your pedantic moment.

 

[phelans shorts]

So up to know, owned by Yanks that squeezed us dry, we were a club full of soul but the moment we get state owned and hopefully properly funded this ends?

This ownership has made it very tight, but there’s still something there. That would kill it.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Is he bluffing?



The problem with Ratcliffe's ownership at Nice isn't that he isn't competing with PSG but rather that he hasn't been competing with the likes of Marseille or Rennes for champions league places.

Recruitment has also been questionable at Nice where they've signed past it players rather than identify young talent in arguably the biggest talent factory in Europe, which is France imo.

All I know is that Jim started mouthing off last year about maybe buying us and then the next month those adverts for Ineos hand sanitizer started popping up during TV ad breaks. Might be worth finding out if they're about to launch a branded face mask, tea cosy or something else?

 

[LordSpud]

All I know is that Jim started mouthing off last year about maybe buying us and then the next month those adverts for Ineos hand sanitizer started popping up during TV ad breaks. Might be worth finding out if they're about to launch a branded face mask, tea cosy or something else?

Funnily enough every time I watch United at the moment on TV theres an ad for Visit Qatar. Which I saw a few weeks ago and thought it was a bit odd and it was on tonight too.

 

[crossy1686]

All I know is that Jim started mouthing off last year about maybe buying us and then the next month those adverts for Ineos hand sanitizer started popping up during TV ad breaks. Might be worth finding out if they're about to launch a branded face mask, tea cosy or something else?

I don't think he's serious, he spends too much time doing interviews and then he makes low ball offers. It's free publicity.

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

I’ve hardly been paying attention to this thread so hardly know anything on what’s currently going on. I take it only Ratcliffe’s INEOS have been the only interested party to go public with their interest?

Would have thought 1-2 other interested parties would have gone public as well by now unless they have contacted the Glazers privately that they want to bid & haven’t decided to tell the whole world about it.