Daniel Kretinsky has performed a big U-turn on a full West Ham takeover claims a new report but fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
Will he, won’t he? That is the big question at West Ham at the moment and the answer seems to change like the wind.
Last month marked the one-year anniversary since Czech billionaire Kretinsky became West Ham’s second biggest stakeholder.
The “Czech Sphinx” paid a reported £150m for 27 per cent of West Ham last November and it was predicted his arrival would allow the Hammers to go bigger and better than before in the transfer market.
That certainly proved to be the case during an unprecedented summer which saw West Ham spend £170m on eight quality signings.
Kretinsky has repeatedly been linked with an eventual full takeover of West Ham (The Evening Standard).
And there has been speculation for years that David Sullivan and David Gold would sell their stakes in the Hammers in 2023.
Any sale by Sullivan and Gold before March 2023 would incur a cost as part of the deal which saw West Ham move from Upton Park to the London Stadium.
It was agreed that if Sullivan and Gold sold the club for more than £300million before that date, 20 per cent of any profit would go to the ground’s landlord, the London Legacy Development Corporation.
After West Ham’s summer splurge, ex Premier League club owner Simon Jordan said he believed the ambitious spending was a clear sign Kretinsky was preparing for a full takeover.
Some West Ham fans were disappointed recently, though, when an insider with close links to the Hammers boardroom insisted the club ‘will not be taken over in April as many have been expecting’.
A key source made it clear to Claret and Hugh that West Ham are not being primed for sale by Sullivan and Gold ‘although the long-term board members wouldn’t be surprised if Kretinsky tried’.
“GSB have made it clear they have no intention of selling sufficient shares for Daniel to gain control,” Claret and Hugh reported.
“Sullivan intends to remain the biggest shareholder although it may be possible that David G may sell just a few.”
That came after Kretinsky had already made his stance over a Hammers takeover perfectly clear.
But now Kretinsky has performed a big U-turn on a full West Ham takeover according to claims in a new report but don’t hold your breath.
Claret and Hugh reckon Kretinsky is now in fact keen to become chief shareholder and thus gain a controlling interest in West Ham.
The timescale given for that move to take overall control above David Sullivan – he is already a bigger stakeholder than David Gold – is in ‘the next 12 months but could be as early as the spring’ according to the report.
“Kretinsky remains keen to gain control and we understand that he is likely to be seeking talks with the duo perhaps even as early as the spring,” Claret and Hugh claim.
West Ham fans should not hold their breath, though.
The situation – or at least what is being reported – is flip-flopping more than the a politician. And back in May, Kretinsky – valued at over £3bn in the latest Sunday Times Rich List – committed his long-term future to his Czech club Sparta Prague.
Asked whether his attitude toward or relationship with Sparta had changed since buying into West Ham, and whether he intends to sell his hometown club amid rumours of a full Hammers takeover, Kretinsky replied: “The answer to both questions is simple – not at all,” (KUMB).
That is pretty clear and unequivocal. And until Kretinsky states otherwise it is best to assume there are no imminent changes in the pipeline.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Bellingham super stardom could be seriously bad news for West Ham owners.
Moyes not surprised by ‘sultry’ Arteta and makes ‘gopher’ claim.
New report makes worrying Zouma claim we can only hope is incorrect.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
