A consortium led by Amanda Staveley has reached an agreement to acquire the 25.1% stake in West Ham United owned by the Gold family, following the collapse of a previously agreed sale to Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky. Vanessa Gold, daughter of the late former chairman David Gold, confirmed the deal in a statement, though it remains subject to a pre-emption process that allows existing shareholders to match the offer.
Background and Failed Kretinsky Deal
The Gold family trust holds the 25.1% stake in the east London club, which was relegated from the Premier League last season just two years after winning the Europa Conference League in 2023. On June 12, Vanessa Gold and Daniel Kretinsky had agreed a sale that would have made Kretinsky's EP Group the largest shareholder, but that deal and subsequent alternatives fell through.
In her statement, Gold explained: "As the daughter of David Gold, it was a great honour to step into a joint chair and director role at the club following his passing in 2023. Whether as a youth team player, a lifelong fan or an owner, my father's priority was always to champion and protect this great club."
Staveley's Track Record
Staveley, who brokered the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United in October 2021, will lead the consortium with her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi and PCP Capital Partners. During their tenure at Newcastle, the club rose from relegation candidates to Champions League participants and won the Carabao Cup in 2025 after their departure in the summer of 2024.
Gold expressed confidence in the new buyers, stating: "Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and PCP Capital Partners will bring deep experience and understanding of what it takes to lead a successful football club, and I have every confidence in what she and her partners can bring to West Ham."
Pre-emption Process and Club Future
The sale is subject to a pre-emption process, under which existing shareholders have the option to buy the shares instead. Gold noted that while the process has not concluded, she wanted to be transparent with fans about her intentions, emphasizing her goal to ensure the club has the right leadership to return to the Premier League.
West Ham will begin their Championship campaign at Burnley on August 16, aiming for a swift return to the top flight. The club's current shareholders will be presented with the chance to buy out the Gold family during the ongoing process.
