Manchester City, United Gets Greenlight To Participate In European Tournaments Next Season

English Premier League top clubs, Manchester City and Manchester United, have received the green light from UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) to participate in European tournaments the following season.

SportXparte reports that concerns were initially raised following the qualification of Manchester City and Girona, a La Liga team affiliated with the City Football Group, for the UEFA Champions League.

On the other hand, Manchester United secured a spot in the Europa League by clinching the FA Cup alongside Nice, a Ligue 1 team owned by Jim Ratcliffe‘s INEOS group.

The situation of two teams, both owned by the same entity, competing in the same European tournament could violate UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership, necessitating adjustments at the board level for all four teams to be allowed to participate.

New Change Emerges

UEFA, the governing body of European football, announced on Friday that ‘there have been significant alterations made to the ownership, governance, and financial backing of the involved clubs.’

This decision, which would ‘significantly limit the influence and decision-making authority of the investors,’ reaffirms UEFA’s role as the ultimate authority in such matters.

The shares in Girona and Nice have been moved to independent trustees through a blind trust structure overseen by the CFCB.

It’s important to note that this action is not a permanent solution.

It is set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season, after which the shares will revert to the City Football Group and INEOS. This sets the stage for an intriguing future for these clubs.

In February, Ratcliffe gained a 27.7% ownership in United, while INEOS, the chemical firm he established and currently serves as its CEO, purchased Nice in 2019.

Man United Stopped From Signing Player

A reliable informant has disclosed to ESPN that United have faced a block from UEFA in their efforts to sign Nice’s defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

“They’ve said we can sell him to another Premiership club,” Ratcliffe said in an interview last month.

“But we can’t sell to Manchester United. But that’s not fair on the player and I don’t see what that achieves,” the source noted.

On Friday, UEFA announced that United and City have consented to a mutual pause in player transfers to and from their affiliated clubs, Nice and Girona, respectively, until September 2025.

SportXparte understands that this decision means that Todibo’s move to United is currently suspended. Additionally, it prohibits any player exchanges between the teams during the summer transfer period of 2025.

However, a source has disclosed to ESPN that City is set to sign Sávio this season.

It is worth noting that the forward was loaned to Girona in the previous year but the agreement will be concluded with his original club, Troyes, who have failed to secure a spot in the Champions League.