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Kretinsky Becomes West Ham’s Largest Shareholder

The agreement blocks Amanda Staveley’s planned buy-in and hands decisive control to Daniel Kretinsky, shifting who will set the club’s short-term financial and sporting priorities.

Overview

  • West Ham said on Friday that Daniel Kretinsky, through 1890s Holdings, has reached a deal to acquire enough shares to be the single largest shareholder at the club.
  • The club and Vanessa Gold confirmed the move follows the Gold family’s earlier agreement to sell a 25.1% stake to Amanda Staveley that valued West Ham at about £600m.
  • Kretinsky’s stake rises to roughly 46% while David Sullivan’s holding will increase to around 40%, changes the club says give clarity over who will take a more active role in decision-making.
  • Kretinsky’s earlier reported sale of just over 2% to Jakub Havrlant was central to the mechanics of the deal because it allowed him to buy Gold’s shares without automatically triggering a full takeover offer.
  • The outcome matters for West Ham’s finances and promotion push because ownership clarity affects short-term funding, regulatory reviews of Sullivan’s suitability, and potential legal challenges to the share transfers.