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West Ham United could be in line for a mega-money windfall as journalist Pete O’Rourke shares some news on minority shareholder Daniel Kretinsky.
The Lowdown: Kretinsky becomes stakeholder…
In 2021, the Czech billionaire completed his purchase of a 27% stake in West Ham, giving the club a financial boost off-the-field and adding to their pool of investors.
The deal was worth around £180 million-£200 million, and it was a move which propelled Kretinsky on to the West Ham board – making him the second-largest shareholder.
There have been murmurs that the Sparta Prague owner could well increase his stake with Kretinsky agreeing the option to instigate a full takeover in his 2021 deal.
The Latest: West Ham in line for Kretinsky windfall?
As per journalist O’Rourke, writing for Football Insider, Kretinsky is now keen to increase his stake with a new £150 million investment.
The magnate is apparently interested in acquiring David Gold’s shares with the former West Ham chief having sadly passed away in January.
A £150m+ deal for Gold’s shares would bring Kretinsky’s stake up to 52%, making him the majority shareholder, with O’Rourke suggesting this could happen ‘as soon as this season’.
The Verdict: Good news?
Of course, this could be good news for West Ham and supporters who have specifically taken issue with club hierarchy in recent seasons.
There have been fierce protests in the last two seasons, fracturing the relationship between fans and ownership, and especially after the club moved to the London Stadium from their previous Boleyn Ground.
As West Ham battle relegation on the pitch, they could be overdue a promising development off the field, with a £150m+ windfall certainly coming as just that.
It will be interesting to see if this development does indeed come to fruition before the end of this season.
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