Gold family agrees to sell West Ham stake to Staveley

Vanessa Gold, daughter of former West Ham co-owner David Gold, has announced that her family intends to sell its shares in the club to a consortium led by ex-Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi. This sale includes a 25% stake in the Championship club, with the consortium also partnering with Ashland Forest Capital Partners.

The deal was confirmed by Vanessa Gold who said she has reached an agreement to sell her family's shareholding to the consortium. While the process is not yet complete, she wanted to inform West Ham's fans about the current status and her intentions.

David Gold, who passed away in 2023, was a co-owner of West Ham for 13 years alongside long-term business partner David Sullivan. Sullivan remains the largest shareholder in the club, with Daniel Kretinsky having the next highest stake. Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group had discussions with the Gold family earlier this summer about buying their stake in the club, but the deal ultimately fell through.

Staveley and Ghodoussi were previously shareholders at Newcastle between 2021 and 2024, having been part of the takeover of the Tyneside club by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Vanessa Gold expressed her ambition for the club, stating her goal was to ensure West Ham has the right leadership and ownership to achieve its potential and return to the Premier League.

However, Daniel Kretinsky's spokesperson responded negatively to the news of the deal, stating that the agreement provides stability for the club at a crucial time. He emphasized that the agreement does the opposite of what was initially agreed upon in June, when Kretinsky and Sullivan felt it gave West Ham stability following allegations of sexually exploitative and predatory behavior against Sullivan.

Kretinsky is of the opinion that pre-emption rights allow him and Sullivan to bid for the remaining shares, including those sold by the Gold family, and further bids if necessary. The process of finalizing the deal could take two months.