A potential clash between Daniel Křetínský and Amanda Staveley is brewing after Vanessa Gold agreed a provisional sale of her 25.1% stake in West Ham.
West Ham United has confirmed Vanessa Gold has agreed a provisional sale of her 25.1% stake, with the deal entering a two‑month pre‑emption process.
If completed, the sale would transfer Gold’s shares to a consortium fronted by PCP Capital Partners, led by Amanda Staveley and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, as well as Ashland Forest Capital Partners.
The agreement replaces an earlier deal Gold had reached in June with Daniel Křetínský, who had been set to increase his shareholding following David Sullivan’s resignation.
The club said the proposed transaction will now go through a mandatory pre‑emption process, giving existing shareholders the chance to acquire the shares before any sale can be finalised.
Křetínský, who owns 27% of the club through 1890s holdings a.s, holds pre‑emption rights and could intervene. His camp has already expressed displeasure at the development and said they are reviewing all options.
“The agreement we had reached with the Gold family in June provided stability for the club at a crucial time. Today’s announcement does the opposite,” said Kretinsky.
“We will always act in the best interests of West Ham United and are reviewing all of our options, including exercising our pre-emption rights in full.”
In a short statement on 1 August, West Ham added that the process is expected to take around two months and will not affect day‑to‑day operations or preparations for the new season.
How this changes West Ham’s ownership structure
West Ham’s ownership is currently split across several parties, with Sullivan holding 38.8%, Křetínský owning 27%, Gold controlling 25.1% on behalf of the Gold Family Trust, WHU LLC holding 8% under the ultimate ownership of J Albert Smith, and the remaining 1.1% held by other investors.
Křetínský agreed a deal in June to increase his stake to around 43% after securing a deal with Gold, becoming the club’s largest shareholder. However, Staveley’s intervention has disrupted this from happening, leaving the future balance of control dependent on how the pre‑emption process unfolds.
West Ham begin the new season in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League last season, a drop that will reduce broadcast and commercial income and may force player sales to manage losses.
The club will receive parachute payments over the next three seasons, but there have been many examples over the years of clubs failing to secure promotion and dropping further down the football pyramid, including Sheffield United, who fell from the Premier League to League One within five seasons.
What Staveley’s plans could mean for West Ham
Křetínský, the Czech billionaire behind EP Group, built his fortune in energy, logistics, media and retail and first invested in West Ham back in 2021. His approach so far has been about stabilising the finances, tightening up how the club is run and taking a long-term view.
Staveley is best known for brokering the Saudi Public Investment Fund‘s (PIF) takeover of Newcastle United in 2021, having also held a minority stake in the club through PCP Capital Partners before eventually selling that stake back to the PIF for £60m.
Speaking on Bloomberg’s Leaders with Francine Lacqua before the agreement with West Ham was announced, she said her next football project would need a significant property element.
West Ham don’t own the London Stadium, where they currently play, and the ground has been a big area of contention for supporters since they moved into the former Olympic venue in 2016.
Last month, it was reported that the stadium’s operator expects to post an operating loss of around £19m for the 2025/26 season, while West Ham’s relegation has also reduced the amount of rent the club pays this year.
There is currently no confirmed plan from Staveley to buy, rebuild or redevelop the stadium, and any suggestion that changes are coming is speculative. However, it would be a quick way to get on the good side of supporters and would align with what other clubs are doing at the moment, such as Manchester United‘s proposals for a new stadium.
