Sources: Two £10m-plus West Ham deals on the cards
West Ham are not conducting their pursuit of a new front-of-shirt deal in tandem with the stadium landlords’ search for a naming rights partner, sources have told Football Insider.
Hammers vice-chairman Karen Brady has admitted that the club is on the lookout for a new shirt sponsor, with the club’s current £10m-a-year alliance with Betway due to run until the end of 2024-25.
Significantly, Premier League clubs have agreed to a voluntary ban on gambling front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship that will come into force from 2025-26.
West Ham have also long wanted a stadium naming rights partner for the London Stadium, which experts suggest could be worth around £10m per year.
But that is in the hands of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), the taxpayer-funded body that acts as landlord for the Olympic Park.
LLDC chief executive Lyn Garner claims she is optimistic that a naming rights deal can be finalised before the end of the year.
But her search for a sponsor is taking place without the input of West Ham and without consideration to the club’s hunt for a front-of-shirt partner, a well-placed source has told this site.
As has been reported elsewhere, relations between the club and the landlords are far from cordial, and it is understood that there has been no olive branch regarding naming rights.
LLDC would be entitled to the first £4m per year of any deal, with the remaining cash split 50-50 between themselves and the club.
Industry experts consulted by this site believe that Garner’s £20m-a-year target is highly unrealistic.
In other news, West Ham star Michail Antonio eyes move as Everton interest revealed.