Staveley watches West Ham win amid ownership saga

What the report says

Amanda Staveley, the prospective buyer of West Ham United, attended the club’s 4-2 win over Wolves at London Stadium on Tuesday, according to BBC Sport Football. She was invited by co-chair Vanessa Gold as West Ham moves toward a deadline for existing shareholders to decide whether to match or respond to the planned sale of Gold’s 25.1% stake.

BBC Sport reported that Gold agreed in July to sell her entire holding to Staveley in a deal that valued West Ham at £600m. The club’s ownership structure gives current significant shareholders first refusal on any external offer, and the initial 30-day deadline to take up the terms is due to expire this week. After that, a further deadline applies for any remaining shares.

The article said West Ham majority owner David Sullivan holds 38.8%, while Daniel Kretinsky owns 27%. Kretinsky has recently said he will sell just over 2% of his stake, a move that could affect how any purchase of Gold’s shares is handled. BBC Sport said the situation remains unresolved, with uncertainty over whether any shareholder will exercise their rights and whether any related share sale could face legal challenge.

The developments matter because they could reshape control of a Premier League club and may be influenced by wider regulatory scrutiny, including the Football Regulator’s assessment of shareholder suitability.