West Ham push for London Stadium deal amid '£50m' naming rights plot

West Ham United must push to take the London Stadium off the hands of the Greater London Authority in the coming months.

That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the plans for a naming rights deal are a ploy from the London authorities.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan previously suggested that he would consider selling the ground for £50million, despite it continuing to make a significant loss.

Wyness believes that the search for a naming rights sponsor is part of a plan for the local council to prove that the ground is worth a positive valuation.

The Scottish businessman pointed towards the fact that the London Stadium costs the taxpayer a huge amount every year, and has urged West Ham to try and exploit that.

Owning the stadium would give the Hammers much more scope to improve the matchday experience, but he believes the club shouldn't fall for the "game" that is being played.

London Authorities to take naming rights revenue

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the revenue generated from a naming rights deal would primarily be taken by the local authorities.

However, he feels that West Ham must remain patient and should not overpay for the London Stadium while it continues to run at a loss.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness suggested that the ground may ultimately just be handed over for someone else to run.

"I think the city would be keeping most of that naming rights revenue. So what they're trying to do here is, and I don't know why they haven't had a naming rights deal before if the city's making the money, is trying to mitigate the losses," he said.

"(Daniel) Kretinsky, if he gets control of West Ham, would consider buying the stadium. Sadiq Khan said the stadium was for sale for £50m because it's a loss-making venture. Now I would say, if it's loss-making, it's not even worth £50m. 

"What the city is now trying to say is that, well, with naming rights there is positive revenue, so it is worth £50m, and that's really the game and the dance that we're going through right now.

"To be honest, I think that the stadium should be given away because it's costing the taxpayer about £19m a year from what I understand, and so yes, it should be given to somebody else to run.

"That's my view on what's happening right now and what the naming rights situation is. It's just a little commercial two-step between the city and the potential West Ham owners."

Daniel Kretinsky to destroy David Sullivan's 'ploy'

Wyness previously told Football Insider that West Ham owner David Sullivan would play directly into Kretinsky's hands if he opted to leave his shares in the club to his sons Jack and David Jr.

Kretinsky recently struck a deal to become the Hammers' majority owner, but the future of Sullivan's significant shareholding remains uncertain.

Wyness suggested that all Kretinsky would do in that scenario is slowly dilute Sullivan's sons, by asking them to put more and more capital into the club.

The Czech businessman is heading towards full control of the club, and is seemingly poised to win the ownership battle in East London.