Daniel Kretinsky Set to Become West Ham United’s Largest Shareholder with 46% Stake

Daniel Kretinsky, the owner of Royal Mail, is set to acquire a 46% stake in West Ham United, establishing himself as the club’s largest shareholder through a major new deal.

The Czech businessman has reached an agreement with West Ham’s remaining shareholders, including former chairman David Sullivan, to acquire the 25% stake previously held by the Gold family.

This deal is expected to halt former Newcastle director Amanda Staveley’s immediate ambitions of investing in the London club.

As a result of this transaction, David Sullivan will increase his holding in the club, despite stepping down as chairman in June. Sullivan has stated his intention to vigorously defend himself against allegations arising from a joint BBC Panorama and The Times investigation.

Co-chair Vanessa Gold had previously agreed to sell a portion of her shares to Kretinsky following the public emergence of allegations against Sullivan.

However, earlier this summer, she announced a separate agreement to sell her entire stake to Staveley.

This announcement triggered a complex pre-emption rights agreement at West Ham, granting existing directors first refusal on any major share transfers.

Sources indicate that a deal was finalized before the deadline, leading to Kretinsky agreeing to purchase a substantial portion of shares from Sullivan. This transaction will elevate Kretinsky’s stake to 46%, while Sullivan’s shareholding is set to rise from 38.8% to 40%.

In addition, a third major shareholder, Tripp Smith, will increase his ownership to 11%, with the remaining minority shareholders holding 3%.

This restructuring effectively excludes Amanda Staveley from the investment process.

While Sullivan’s position at West Ham is already under review by the independent regulator, it is understood that this latest share transaction will not prompt an additional investigation.

“The IFR’s inquiries into the suitability of David Sullivan under our owners, directors, and senior executives (ODSE) regime remain active and ongoing, and we are in contact with relevant authorities as part of this process.”

As of now, neither Kretinsky, Gold, Sullivan, nor West Ham United have provided public comments on the situation.

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