West Ham’s new majority owner Daniel Kretinsky has revealed what West Ham stars have told him after he usurped David Sullivan.
It is all change at West Ham United following the departures of Karren Brady and David Sullivan and Daniel Kretinsky’s move to become the club’s majority owner.
Kretinsky has purchased an additional 16 per cent of the Hammers from the Gold family, taking his stake to 43 per cent. That has injected the £90m needed to satisfy financial rules by the end of June.
Kretinsky’s stake is now nearly five per cent more than Sullivan, who resigned from the board last week and is under mounting pressure to sell up altogether.
Kretinsky says West Ham stars open to staying on one condition
The Czech billionaire energy tycoon has a reputation for being secretive and shying away from public glare.
But his role as owner of Royal Mail has demanded he be more open to press scrutiny.
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That appears to have made him more accessible to some journalists, such as Matt Lawton of The Times, who had an exclusive albeit very brief chat with the club’s new majority owner.
And Kretinsky has revealed what West Ham stars have told him after he usurped Sullivan.
It is claimed Kretinsky has jaw-dropping plans for the Hammers which include buying the London Stadium outright to potentially reconfigure it and make it fit for football.
In his first address to fans after taking over as the club’s new main man, Kretinsky made a £90m West Ham pledge and vow to Nuno, the players and fans about his intentions and ambition.
Since then it has been claimed that Kretinsky will fund West Ham’s transfer war chest for an instant Premier League return.
Kretinsky: Stars will stay if West Ham keep promises
Now the Czech Sphinx has revealed certain players have vowed to stay at the club after a series of meetings where he outlined West Ham’s plans.
But it is on the condition that he and the Hammers board make good on promises made in those meetings – which included keeping as much of the squad together as possible.
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“Key players are waiting for us,” Kretinsky told The Times.
“They want to see there is a real chance of keeping the squad together.
“What matters is funding, strategy and consistency. We have spoken to all of them. They need to see that our project is real and serious. Promotion is our only goal.”
This really is starting to sound like an exciting and ambitious new era for West Ham.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating as is always the case.
But from the little taste Hammers supporters have had so far, the future could be very bright indeed.
Having kept Nuno, if West Ham do keep most of their squad together then there is every chance they will coast to promotion.
Captain Jarrod Bowen is key. If the Irons can keep the skipper on board then – and the likes of Tomas Soucek, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Taty Castellanos too – then the Championship title is a very realistic aim.
There will be some players who insist on leaving such as Mateus Fernandes.
It is a crying shame West Ham have to sell the talented Portuguese midfield star but the club cannot turn their nose up at offers of £80m, regardless of Kretinsky’s cash injection.
Others such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jean-Clair Todibo have had their attitude questioned and will not be missed by fans as West Ham look to move them on.
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