Vanessa Gold has publicly confirmed that she has reached an agreement to sell her family’s 25.1 percent stake in West Ham United to a consortium headed by former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley. The deal brings together Staveley, her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, PCP Capital Partners and Ashland Forest Capital Partners, who together will acquire the Gold family shares that Vanessa inherited after the death of her father, David Gold, in 2023. The consortium says a legally binding agreement has been signed, but the transaction remains subject to a pre‑emption process that gives existing shareholders the right to purchase the shares before they are transferred to the new investors.
In a joint statement the Staveley‑led group explained: "Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, PCP Capital Partners and Ashland Forest Capital Partners can confirm they have agreed the purchase of the Gold family’s 25.1 per cent stake in West Ham United. A legal binding agreement has been signed, although the sale is still subject to a pre‑emption process under which current shareholders may elect to buy the shares instead.
No further comment will be made while the legal process runs its course." The announcement arrives amid a broader reshuffling of West Ham’s ownership structure. Earlier in June, the club disclosed that Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, through his EP Group vehicle, was poised to become the largest shareholder after a proposed deal to acquire the Gold family’s holding.
At that time Kretinsky was expected to raise his stake to roughly 43 percent, overtaking David Sullivan, who owned 38.8 percent. However, the June deal never materialised, and the club has yet to confirm a definitive timeline for any change in control. Sullivan responded to the latest news with disappointment, noting that the agreement reached with the Gold family in June had provided much‑needed stability.
He warned that the new announcement could undermine that stability and said he was reviewing all options, including exercising his own pre‑emption rights in full. In her own statement, Vanessa Gold reflected on her three‑year tenure as joint‑chair and director, a role she assumed after her father’s passing. She said: "It was a great honour to step into a joint‑chair and director role at the club following my father’s death. Whether as a youth‑team player, a lifelong fan or an owner, my father always prioritised championing and protecting this great club.
Over the past three years I have taken huge personal pride in continuing that legacy and will always be hugely grateful to the staff, players and fans who allowed me to do so." Gold went on to explain why the June agreement with Kretinsky fell through, citing the inability to finalise the original deal and alternative proposals. She then announced the provisional agreement with the Staveley‑Ghodoussi consortium, stressing that the sale remains subject to the pre‑emption process that could see existing shareholders acquire the shares in two rounds over roughly two months. "My ambition throughout this process has been to ensure the club has the right leadership and ownership to enable West Ham to achieve its potential and return to its rightful place in the Premier League," she wrote.
The consortium’s track record adds weight to their bid. Amanda Staveley previously brokered a Saudi‑backed takeover that enabled Mike Ashley to sell Newcastle United in October 2021. Together with Ghodoussi, she oversaw Newcastle’s rapid rise from relegation candidates to Champions League participants and, after their departure in the summer of 2024, to Carabao Cup winners.
Their experience in football finance and club management is seen as a potential catalyst for West Ham as the Hammers look to bounce back after being relegated at the end of the 2023‑24 season. West Ham will begin its campaign to regain top‑flight status with a League One fixture against Burnley on August 16, a match that will be closely watched by supporters eager to see how the club navigates the ownership transition.
The club’s official statement reiterated that day‑to‑day operations remain unaffected: "West Ham United can confirm it is aware of the announcement from joint‑chair Vanessa Gold that she has reached a provisional agreement to sell her shares to a consortium of PCP Capital Partners, led by Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, in partnership with Ashland Forest Capital Partners. The proposed transaction will now be subject to a pre‑emption rights process, giving existing shareholders the opportunity to acquire their proportional percentage of shares in round one and any remaining shares in round two. This process will take approximately two months and, until it is completed, nothing will change regarding the ownership structure of the club.
West Ham United would like to assure supporters that the day‑to‑day running of the football club is in no way affected by this situation. Preparations for the new season continue to take shape with diligence and focus, and we thank all fans for their continued loyal backing at this time. The club will be making no further comment while the pre‑emption process runs its course." While the legal and financial details are still being finalised, the involvement of Staveley, Ghodoussi and PCP Capital Partners signals a serious commitment to injecting capital and strategic expertise into the club. Their partnership with Ashland Forest Capital Partners, a firm known for long‑term investments in sports assets, suggests a broader vision that could extend beyond immediate ownership percentages to include infrastructure development, youth academy enhancement and commercial growth.
For West Ham supporters, the key question remains whether this consortium can deliver the stability and ambition promised by Vanessa Gold and whether they will be able to out‑bid existing shareholders in the pre‑emption process. The next few weeks will be crucial as the club navigates the legal steps, communicates with fans and prepares for a season that could determine its return to the Premier League.