OGC Nice’s crisis has deepened further with Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe now accused of neglect as unrest at the Ligue 1 club pushes Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi towards the exit, Soccernet.ng reports.
Moffi, one of Nice’s most valuable assets, appears to be running out of road on the Côte d’Azur after weeks of instability, fan hostility and ownership silence.
Placed on sick leave following an incident at the club’s training ground, the 24-year-old is now seriously considering a January departure, with reports indicating his relationship with the club’s ultras is beyond repair.
Ratcliffe, whose INEOS group owns Nice while also overseeing football operations at Manchester United, has remained publicly silent as Nice stumble through a disastrous first half of the season. That silence is now being interpreted by supporters as neglect.
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Chaos at Nice and a Super Eagles striker frozen out
Nice’s sporting collapse has been stark. Franck Haise’s side have managed just five wins from 16 Ligue 1 matches, suffering nine defeats and slipping into the bottom half of the table. In Europe, matters are even worse: six defeats from six matches in the Europa League, finishing rock-bottom in their group with no points.
The pressure boiled over on November 30 after a 3–1 defeat at Lorient. Around 400 supporters confronted players at the training ground, with heated exchanges spiralling into insults and accusations. Moffi and Jérémie Boga were singled out, accused of lacking commitment and desire.
That confrontation escalated into something more serious. Moffi and Boga were physically assaulted, a moment that fundamentally altered the Nigerian striker’s outlook. While Moffi had previously been open to staying once tensions eased, weeks have passed without resolution, prompting him to reassess his future.
According to a report by SportsBoom, OGC Nice ultras are unwilling to welcome Moffi back into the squad, effectively shutting the door on any meaningful reconciliation. Club insiders now accept that his situation is ‘beyond repair’.
Ratcliffe fingered following ownership silence
At the centre of the storm sits Ratcliffe. Questions over who truly governs Nice have grown louder since Jean-Pierre Rivère’s departure, with Fabrice Bocquet left to shoulder the presidency amid growing unrest.
French outlet France Bleu Azur via Sport.fr summed up the frustration bluntly, reporting that the owner is letting the situation fester and isn’t intervening.
Attempts to reach Ratcliffe, who has publicly stated his desire to sell Nice, have reportedly gone unanswered. Even more damaging, a takeover proposal submitted weeks ago is said to have received no response.
Supporters now describe the situation as a ship being allowed to sink without a captain. With Nice languishing 13th in Ligue 1 and facing financial strain, the sense of abandonment is profound.
What next for Nigeria’s Terem Moffi?
Moffi’s exit now feels inevitable. Signed permanently for around €30 million after an initial loan from Lorient in January 2023, he has scored 20 Ligue 1 goals for Nice, including two this season.
The Nigeria international remains one of the club’s highest earners, reportedly the second-highest paid player in Haise’s squad.
Nice are prepared to sanction a loan move in January to reduce their wage bill and create space to rebuild a faltering squad. Several French clubs and teams in Belgium’s Pro League are monitoring his situation.
The striker has already excused himself from Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, focusing instead on stabilising his club future.
Unless ownership finally intervenes, Terem Moffi’s Nice career looks set to end not with goals, but with unanswered questions.