Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly on the verge of selling French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, following a major breakthrough in negotiations. The INEOS billionaire placed the club on the market last May, but struggled to find buyers willing to meet his hefty £200 million valuation.

Ratcliffe's tenure at Nice has been anything but smooth. While the club achieved a respectable fourth-place finish last season under Franck Haise, the momentum didn't last. Haise was dismissed and replaced by Claude Puel, formerly of Leicester City, but the results haven't improved. Nice currently sit in 15th place, just eight points above the relegation zone. If the season ended today, it would be their worst Ligue 1 finish since the 2013/14 campaign, when they ended 17th in a 20-team league—a slightly less precarious position than in today's 18-team competition.

Fan discontent has been growing, especially since Ratcliffe gained operational control of Manchester United. Comments from the businessman haven't helped—he's described Nice's style of play as "boring" and admitted watching the team doesn't excite him. As frustration mounts, reports suggest Ratcliffe has been forced to lower his asking price to speed up a sale.

Now, according to Nice-Matin, that reduced price tag is attracting interest. The Lazard bank, tasked with finding a buyer, has reportedly received multiple offers in recent months. A European fund and an American fund are both in discussions, and the U.S.-based investors have even toured Nice's training center alongside Jean-Claude Blanc, the club's CEO. With the exit door finally opening, Ratcliffe may soon be able to shift his focus entirely to Old Trafford.