Daniel Kretinsky is set to become West Ham United’s biggest shareholder after agreeing a deal that will lift his ownership of the club to 46%.
The Czech billionaire, who also owns Royal Mail through his wider business interests, has reached an agreement involving West Ham’s existing shareholders over the 25% stake previously held by the Gold family.
The restructuring will significantly alter the ownership balance at the club and is expected to end Amanda Staveley’s immediate attempt to invest in West Ham.
Staveley, the former Newcastle United director, had earlier agreed a deal to acquire Vanessa Gold’s entire shareholding. However, West Ham’s existing directors were able to exercise pre-emption rights, giving them priority when a substantial stake became available for sale.
That process has now resulted in Kretinsky agreeing to acquire a sizeable block of shares from former chairman David Sullivan. Once the transaction is completed, Kretinsky’s holding is expected to rise to 46%.
Sullivan, meanwhile, is also set to increase his ownership despite selling part of his current stake. His overall shareholding is expected to move from 38.8% to around 40% once the wider restructuring is completed.
Another major investor, Tripp Smith, is due to increase his stake to 11%, while the remaining shareholders will collectively control about 3%.
The outcome leaves Kretinsky as the club’s dominant individual shareholder and effectively removes Staveley from the current ownership process.
Sullivan stepped down as West Ham chairman in June and has said he intends to contest allegations raised in a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times.
Vanessa Gold had initially agreed to sell only part of her shares to Kretinsky after those allegations became public, before later reaching an agreement with Staveley for the sale of her full stake.
West Ham’s pre-emption arrangements ultimately allowed the club’s existing shareholders to intervene before the relevant deadline and produce a different ownership structure.
Sullivan’s position is already under examination by the Independent Football Regulator under its owners, directors and senior executives framework. The regulator’s enquiries remain active and involve contact with relevant authorities, although the latest share transaction is not expected to trigger a separate additional review.
Kretinsky, Sullivan, Gold and West Ham have not publicly commented on the proposed ownership changes.