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Why ownership change at West Ham is difficult

Those fans calling for a change at the top at Wet Ham should take account the the ownership structure. The future could hinge on the late David Gold’s 25 per cent stake, controlled by his descendants. Discussions have included a potential investment into the club, which is set to announce big losses for last season.

But the problem remains that any new investor would not have control of the club without buying shares from David Sullivan, the co-owner who owns 39 per cent, or the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who bought a 27 per cent share for about £150million in 2021. West Ham expected Kretinsky to exercise his option of a full takeover in the summer of 2022. 

He never did and bought Royal Mail. Some of the potential investors have a tech background, which could appeal to supporters who have called for better scouting and the use of the type of analytics employed by other clubs.

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  1. Peter Whitelock24 October 2025 at 03:41

    Actually any prospective investor doesn't have to purchase Sullivans shareholding in order to faint overall control of the club. They could aquire the Gold families holding ( 25%) Tripp Smiths holding (8%) and all or part of Kretinski's holding ( 27%) to give them overall control.

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