A stake of up to 10 per cent in West Ham United has been put up for sale by Vanessa Gold, the daughter of the club’s late joint-chairman David Gold, and has drawn interest from international investors.
Club insiders believe the opportunity may attract an offer from Qatar after Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani’s failed bid to buy Manchester United.
Ms Gold’s family has a 25 per cent shareholding in West Ham and she is working with the Rothschild bank to sell part of that stake. It is understood that if the price was right, Ms Gold may be willing to sell the entire shareholding.
The Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who bought a 27 per cent stake in the east London club in 2021, is understood to have been consulted on Ms Gold’s decision to sell but he is not expected to buy the shares. Other investors have already been sounded out.
David Sullivan retains the biggest stake in West Ham at just under 39 per cent, while the financier Tripp Smith has 8 per cent.
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West Ham’s move comes as Sir Jim Ratcliffe closes in on completing his £1.3 billion investment for 25 per cent of Manchester United, and 18 months after the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium bought Chelsea for £2.5 billion. Sheikh Jassim bid £5 billion for 100 per cent of Manchester United when the Glazers had been holding out for nearer £6 billion.
Sheikh Jassim’s bid for Manchester United displayed that there is a desire in Qatar to invest in Premier League clubs
Ms Gold, who succeeded her father as joint-chairman at West Ham after his death in January, confirmed she was looking to sell part of the family share in a statement.
“I would consider selling a proportion of our shares to the right partner,” she said. “I have spoken to each of the other three major shareholders at West Ham United, David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky and Tripp Smith, who have been very supportive.
“Any transaction to purchase some of our shares will be with my father’s legacy at the forefront of my mind which, of course, prioritises his beloved West Ham United.
“I have appointed Rothschild & Co to advise us on any discussions and will keep the other shareholders, the club and our supporters updated on any significant developments.”
