West Ham United begin life outside the Premier League this weekend, hosting Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup first round, a fixture that underlines just how far the club has fallen a decade into its London Stadium tenancy. While the on-field project carries genuine promise, with the Hammers installed as favourites for an immediate return to the top flight, the surrounding chaos in the boardroom threatens to overshadow any optimism on the pitch.
Portsmouth are expected to bring around 9,000 travelling supporters to east London, but the bigger story lies in whether David Sullivan, the club's former joint-chairman, will attend. Reports indicate that the London Stadium's operators advised Sullivan to stay away, citing the risk of demonstrations and anti-social behaviour among some fans. Despite a statement from the club's fans advisory board warning his presence would cause "offence and upset," Sullivan is nonetheless expected to show up, reportedly intent on watching as a supporter while he weighs his next move regarding his 38.8% stake in the club.
The backdrop to this is deeply uncomfortable for West Ham. In late May, as relegation was confirmed on the same day the club beat Leeds at home, Sullivan had to leave the stadium early for his own safety. He has since denied allegations made in a BBC Panorama documentary broadcast in June, which accused him of decades of sexually exploitative and predatory conduct towards women. Sullivan stepped down from his role on the eve of that broadcast, saying at the time it was to avoid disrupting the club while he addressed the matter privately.
Even setting aside those allegations, Sullivan had already become a deeply unpopular figure among supporters, blamed for the club's steep decline since lifting the Europa Conference League in May 2023. The £100m windfall from Declan Rice's sale that summer failed to translate into sustained progress, and captain Jarrod Bowen, another hero of that European triumph, has committed to staying and helping lead the promotion push. Karren Brady, Sullivan's long-time ally and a fixture at the club since 1990, also departed her role in April as the situation worsened.
With Sullivan sidelined, attention has turned to who might take control. Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who has owned 27% of West Ham since 2021, appeared poised to expand his stake by exercising first refusal on the 25% share once held by the late David Gold, now controlled by his daughter and co-chair Vanessa Gold. However, this week Kretinsky reduced his own holding to just under 25%, transferring 2% to business ally Jakub Havrlant — a manoeuvre that would let him absorb the Gold stake without breaching the 50.1% threshold that triggers a mandatory takeover bid.
Complicating matters further, financier Amanda Staveley has emerged as a potential suitor. Having left Newcastle United in July 2024 after helping orchestrate the Saudi Public Investment Fund's takeover there, Staveley is reportedly seeking to use similar financial backing to pursue a move for West Ham. Her interest in acquiring the Gold family's stake would directly clash with Kretinsky's plans, leaving Sullivan's remaining shares as the potential deciding factor in any power struggle.
On the football side, business has been modest. Free agent defender Joël Veltman, formerly of Brighton and Ajax, has arrived, while the departures of Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham and Crysencio Summerville to Al-Hilal brought in a combined £140m. Youth product Freddie Potts's £10m move to Club Brugge disappointed some supporters, and the club has been linked with Ireland striker Troy Parrott of AZ Alkmaar, though luring players to the Championship remains a challenge.
Manager Nuno Espírito Santo has stayed on despite earlier expectations of his exit, tasked with steadying a club gripped by uncertainty. Karim Virani, a former club employee who left in 2020 and later worked at Rangers, has returned as interim chief executive in an effort to restore some stability. With 50,000 season tickets sold and difficult early fixtures against Burnley, Charlton, Watford and Wolves looming before September, West Ham's promotion hopes will be tested against a chaotic off-field backdrop that shows no signs of resolving soon.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.