Exclusive: West Ham owners could face £300m+ takeover blow
West Ham’s valuation could drop by more than £300million if the club are relegated from the Premier League this season, sources have told Football Insider.
West Ham were beaten 2-1 by Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium on Tuesday (6 January), leaving Nuno Espirito Santo’s side seven points from safety.
Hammers fans have protested against the board in recent months, with calls for David Sullivan – the club’s largest shareholder – and vice-chair Karren Brady to leave.
Forbes estimates West Ham to be worth around £840m after spending the past 14 years in the Premier League.
However, sources have told Football Insider the Hammers’ value would likely drop to below £500m if they are relegated to the Championship, presenting a significant issue for the existing shareholders if they were to sell up.
Who are West Ham owned by?
It’s been a difficult couple of seasons at the London Stadium following a severe decline in on-field performances.
West Ham were previously valued at around £1billion after qualifying for European football three years in a row under former manager David Moyes.
That valuation has since fallen after finishing 14th in the Premier League table last season, while relegation appears increasingly likely in the coming months.
West Ham’s hierarchy has come under pressure to sell the club, but the ownership structure does present potential issues.
Sullivan currently holds a 38.8 per cent share in the club, while Daniel Kretinsky’s stake is worth 27 per cent, the Gold family own 25.1 per cent and Albert “Tripp” Smith retains an eight per cent shareholding at the London Stadium.
Vanessa Gold, who inherited her father David Gold’s stake following his passing in 2023, previously announced her intention to sell her shares.
However, a deal is yet to be agreed with any interested parties.
How relegation could impact West Ham’s finances
West Ham’s financial situation is also likely to have an impact on the club’s value if a prospective buyer were to seek a full takeover.
West Ham insider Sean Whetstone reported on 30 December the Hammers will soon publish their accounts for last season, showing losses of more than £100m.
That is a completely different picture to the latest published accounts for 2023-24, where the east London side posted a £57m profit following the £105m sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal.
The Hammers posted a club-record revenue in 2023-24 after their turnover surged to £269.8m, but that figure would fall dramatically in the Championship due to the lower broadcast, matchday and commercial income on offer.
It has been revealed West Ham could lose more than £60m in revenue if they are relegated this season.
Nuno’s side now have a break from Premier League action, with an FA Cup third-round tie against QPR coming up on Sunday (11 January).
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