Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire and owner of Royal Mail, is set to become the biggest shareholder at West Ham, following an agreement with David Sullivan. This development is understood to significantly impact Amanda Staveley's aspirations to acquire a stake in the Championship club.
Kretinsky is believed to be increasing his current 27% stake to 46%, surpassing Sullivan as the largest shareholder. Sullivan's stake will also see an increase, moving from 38.8% to 40%, positioning him as the second-largest shareholder. Tripp Smith's stake is also set to rise from 8% to 11%, with other shareholders increasing from 1.1% to 3%.
Staveley, who was a guest at the London Stadium for West Ham’s recent 4-2 victory over Wolves, had been pursuing Vanessa Gold’s 25.1% stake. Her consortium had reportedly struck a deal with the Gold family in July, aiming for a position on the club's board. However, this arrangement triggered pre-emption rights for West Ham's other shareholders, with a deadline on Thursday evening.
Sources indicate that a return for Staveley's group is unlikely. Sullivan reportedly rebuffed an inquiry from Staveley regarding his stake during the summer, privately favouring a deal with Kretinsky, who initially invested in West Ham in November 2021.