West Ham have just landed 'two very profitable deals' as third 'sale' held up by David Sullivan

West Ham United want to cut ties with David Sullivan as quickly as possible as talks over the sale of the Women's team stall.

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that the club's co-owner represents a "football governance issue" at the London Stadium.

Sullivan, the 77-year-old billionaire businessman, has stepped away from his chairman role with the Hammers to fight “factually incorrect and entirely false” against him.

As news broke about the allegations earlier this summer, it was revealed that the FA had opened a safeguarding investigation against him in 2023.

Since then, his access to West Ham Women and the youth teams have been restricted, but it is understood that neither the players or staff were made aware of this ban.

Monarch Collective had been in talks over a 100 per cent purchase of the women's team, but the controversy surrounding Sullivan has seen the deal stall.

West Ham 'already working on' David Sullivan's exit

After nearly a year of discussions, the deal has reached an impasse, with the situation being thrown into uncertainty.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson does not believe there are any financial concerns if the women's team isn't sold, but there remains a "wider issue" around the links to Sullivan.

"The women's team is a wrinkle and, for me, not the key issue here, especially after the sale of [Crysencio] Summerville," he said.

"When you put the two sales together they made, Summerville plus [Mateus] Fernandes, they've got no urgent financial need.

"Those are very profitable deals and they're also good for cash. So I don't the sale of the Women's team is going to be about that.

"I think, ultimately, the issue with Sullivan is going to be a wider football and football governance issue, especially given the safeguarding consequences, and given the allegations.

"In football, there are a lot of children around, a lot of women around. And football always has to be very sensitive to allegations of this nature.

"He's going to be under a lot of pressure. There's no question. And I'm sure that they're already working on it. But there's absolutely no doubt he's going to be under a lot of pressure."

Could Daniel Kretinsky replace Sullivan with a new partner?

Daniel Kretinsky is now the decision-maker in East London after buying out the Gold family shares to become majority shareholder with 43 per cent.

Borson has already told Football Insider that the Czech billionare will want a new partner, or at least his current one as soon as possible.

That would be an extremely difficult deal for any party to do, however, with the finance expert admitting that it would cost "a lot of money" to buy him out.

Amanda Staveley and her husband, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, are actively searching for a new challenge and have been mentioned in the conversation, but nothing has materialised just yet.