Sir Jim Ratcliffe is heading towards his first transfer window as co-owner of Manchester United, but that isn't the only task facing the INEOS chairman this summer
French club Nice have confirmed the departure of highly-rated sporting director Florent Ghisolfi, forcing Sir Jim Ratcliffe to search for a replacement.
Ghisolfi, 39, has agreed to join Italian giants Roma just a few weeks before the opening of this summer's transfer window. Nice have a shortlist 'four or five' candidates to succeed the French ex-midfielder, with Ratcliffe and his INEOS colleagues set to run the rule over them.
That adds to the mounting list of problems facing the Manchester United co-owner, whose petrochemicals company purchased the Ligue 1 side in 2019. Nice's manager, Francesco Farioli, could also leave the south of France, as links of a move to Ajax have intensified in recent days.
Speaking after their 2-2 draw with Lille as Nice ended their domestic season in fifth place, club president Jean-Pierre Rivere confirmed Ghisolfi's departure. "We are happy for him," Rivere added. "We shared some great moments with him. I really like him on a human level and we wish him all the best."
Ghisolfi was then crucial to the appointment of Farioli, who was just 34 at the time and had been a coach under Roberto De Zerbi before spells with Fatih Karagumruk and Alanyaspor in Turkey. The Italian's front-foot style of play has earned him plaudits at Ajax, who've been without a permanent boss since October amid their disastrous season both on and off the pitch.
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Florent Ghisolfi has agreed to leave Nice and join Roma ( Image:
Ratcliffe's petrochemicals company also own Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, having moved their headquarters to Lausanne in 2010 before a return to London. Football isn't the only sport which INEOS are involved in, as their ventures include Formula 1, cycling, sailing, rugby and challenges such as 1:59 completed by long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge.