'I've heard some horror stories' - Ex-West Ham employee reacts to Amanda Staveley takeover latest

West Ham United have been warned not to get ahead of themselves before the imminent arrival of new part-owners in East London.

Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, PCP Capital Partners and Ashland Forest Capital Partners, have agreed to purchase a 25.1 per cent stake in West Ham from the Gold family.

However, while the new investment and ambitions will be welcomed given the shambles of the previous ownership setup, they have been warned not to count their chickens.

Former West Ham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the new part-owners' intentions will only become clear with time, insisting fans cannot celebrate just yet.

Following the club's relegation from the Premier League, the previous ownership structure was expected to change, with people at the top looking to bail out.

However, while those selling up will be saving themselves from any criticism, concerns have risen about the state they have lef the club in.

What is the latest on West Ham's ownership structure?

Following the investment from the new part-owners, former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson told Football Insider that major changes are currently unlikely.

Daniel Kretinsky, another of the club's part owners, has been eyeing a bigger slice of the Hammers and is unlikely to want to part ways with his current shares.

Staveley and her consortium, meanwhile, are also eyeing up a bigger stake in the club despite having agreed to purchase £150million worth, with more changes on the horizon.

"It's too early to get excited about new ownership coming in," Brown told Football Insider.

"A lot of stuff still has to become clear. What are their intentions? What are their ambitions? Where are they aiming to take the club? How are they going to do that?

"These are all questions that will need answering, but ultimately the proof is in the pudding, they have to show they can help the club turn around their recent fortunes.

"Most of the time, in my experience, people who come in to invest in football clubs are only doing it if they can get something out of it, financially or otherwise.

"The other problem I have with it is, the previous owners are now all looking to jump ship after suffering relegation from the Premier League.

"From their point of view, they can get out of this huge mess and leave it to other people to clean up, and they are leaving the club in a terrible state after what they've done in recent years.

"You and I have been speaking about it for ages, there was a clear downward spiral put in place by these owners, and now it's up to the new lot to sort it out.

"For me, I need a lot more convincing before I can sit here and say they're going to turn things around, because I've heard far more horror stories than fairytales about owners in my time."

Could the new part-owners complete a full-scale takeover?

Following their agreement to purchase a minority stake in West Ham, the new part-owners are already eyeing up a full-scale takeover as the uncertainty continues.

Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness told Football Insider on 2 August that Kretinsky and Stavely are both likely to push to become the controlling stake holders in West Ham.

Both parties are keen to get a deal done while the club is in the Championship and the value is lower, and they could could capitalise on controversy surrounding David Sullivan.

Wyness expects Sullivan to reach an agreement to sell the club within the next few months, despite him having hinted that he will wait until they return to the Premier League.

Sullivan stepped down as joint-chair of West Ham in June amid serious allegations, which he denies, potentially opening the door for the sale of his 38.8 per cent stake.