Amanda Staveley consortium in talks to buy 25% stake in West Ham
A consortium led by former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley has entered talks to purchase a 25% stake in Championship club West Ham.
The investment group, which includes her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, has expressed a firm interest in acquiring the shares currently held by Vanessa Gold.
Discussions have progressed rapidly in recent weeks, with the prospective buyers having already secured the necessary global financial backing to facilitate an agreement.
Initial enquiries were made towards the tail end of last season, shortly before the East London side suffered a disappointing relegation from the top flight.
Potential for future majority takeover
While the immediate proposal concerns a quarter of the football club, the consortium remains entirely open to buying further shares to eventually become majority stakeholders.
Current control of the Hammers is primarily divided between major investors David Sullivan and Daniel Kretinsky.
This renewed interest in capital investment follows the departure of the British businesswoman and Ghodoussi from St James’ Park in July 2024.
The same investment vehicle had previously explored the possibility of purchasing a minority stake in Tottenham Hotspur during the previous campaign.
Sullivan steps back amid investigation
Any change in the boardroom arrives during a turbulent period for the recently relegated outfit, following Sullivan’s decision to step down as joint chairman in June.
His resignation was prompted by a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and the Times newspaper detailing allegations of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour towards young women.
Seven women came forward to accuse the billionaire of abusing his power during business meetings to pressure them for sex, with the claims spanning decades from the 1980s onwards.
The 77-year-old, who built a substantial fortune through pornography, newspapers and football, has strongly refuted the historic accusations.
I categorically deny the claims.
In response to the severity of the situation, the Independent Football Regulator contacted the club seeking urgent information regarding his ongoing suitability for a leadership role.