West Ham to match Aston Villa as £55m deal edges closer
West Ham will sell their women’s team to improve their financial position before a Premier League rule change comes into force.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, amid West Ham selling their women’s team for a valuation of around £55million.
Aston Villa, Chelsea and Everton have all sold their women’s teams to avoid breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules [PSR].
Premier League clubs have now agreed to new rules from next season which will not allow them to sell their women’s teams to themselves to get around financial regulations.
West Ham finalising women’s team sale
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes West Ham will complete a sale before the loophole is closed.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness stated it is all down to the club wanting to improve their PSR position.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Yeah, look, we’ve seen it with Villa, we’ve seen it with Chelsea, and they established the valuation of the club by selling a minority stake, and in this case, it gives a very healthy valuation for West Ham’s women’s team.
“It is keeping the asset on the book and creating more headroom in terms of PSR. And I think they’re going to try and, you know, I believe the Premier League has already voted to close this loophole, so they’re getting in before it gets closed.
“And yeah, I think it’s without doubt. I don’t think there’s anything else more than that behind it.”
West Ham exit confirmed as fan unrest continues
West Ham confirmed the departure of director Tara Warren, amid calls from supporters for the board to resign.
David Sullivan and Karen Brady have faced increased fan unrest this season, with supporters protesting against their ownership.
Sullivan has been told to gamble in the January window to save West Ham from relegation, with the Hammers currently in the Premier League bottom three.