Man Utd takeover candidate tipped to ‘bid’ for West Ham as current owner looks for ‘the right partner’
According to reports, West Ham United are expecting a bid from Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim, who recently failed to acquire Manchester United.
Sheikh Jassim was among the leading candidates in the Man Utd takeover race and he made five separate bids for the Premier League giants over the past year.
His highest offer was understood to be worth around £5bn and he was only interested in a full takeover.
He faced serious competition from INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is now set to buy a stake in Man Utd, who are fourth in the 2023 Premier League net spend table.
The Brit was initially hoping to immediately become their majority stakeholder but he is primed to purchase a 25% share for around £1.4bn with a view to ousting the Glazer family by the end of 2026.
Sheikh Jassim decided to withdraw his interest in Man Utd as it became increasingly doubtful as to whether the Glazer family would sell to him.
He may still join a Premier League club in the near future, though. He has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham are now being mentioned as a potential destination.
The Times are reporting ‘a stake of up to 10 per cent in West Ham has been put up for sale by Vanessa Gold, the daughter of the club’s late joint-chairman David Gold, and has drawn interest from international investors’.
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Regarding Sheikh Jassim, it is suggested that ‘club insiders believe the opportunity may attract an offer’ from him after his ‘failed bid to buy Manchester United’.
The report explains: ‘Ms Gold’s family has a 25 per cent shareholding in West Ham and she is working with the Rothschild bank to sell part of that stake. It is understood that if the price was right, Ms Gold may be willing to sell the entire shareholding’.
Earlier this year, Gold revealed she would “consider selling to the right partner”.
“I would consider selling a proportion of our shares to the right partner,” Gold said. “I have spoken to each of the other three major shareholders at West Ham United, David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky and Tripp Smith, who have been very supportive.
“Any transaction to purchase some of our shares will be with my father’s legacy at the forefront of my mind which, of course, prioritises his beloved West Ham United.
“I have appointed Rothschild & Co to advise us on any discussions and will keep the other shareholders, the club and our supporters updated on any significant developments.”
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