The door is open for West Ham United to potentially acquire their London Stadium home, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan welcoming future discussions. This comes after Amanda Staveley, former Newcastle United co-owner, stated that property would be a component of her next football investment.
Staveley has reached an agreement with Vanessa Gold, daughter of former West Ham owner David Gold, to purchase a 25% stake in the recently relegated club. This deal is contingent on majority owner Daniel Kretinsky not exercising pre-emptive rights. The potential deal could value the Irons at £600m.
A spokesperson for Mayor Khan told City AM that he "would welcome any discussions regarding the London Stadium that would deliver greater value for money for Londoners." The stadium, owned by a subsidiary of the Greater London Authority, currently costs taxpayers around £19m per year and is rented to West Ham United under terms negotiated by former co-chair Baroness Karren Brady.
The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), owners of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park land, stated they "regularly engages with organisations interested in investing in and supporting the long-term success of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and its venues." However, they confirmed that "no conversations have taken place to date regarding this matter."
West Ham dropped into the Championship at the end of last season. The club's relegation has led to a reduction in rent due to their status as an EFL club, a deal the Mayor previously described as "the worst imaginable."