There has been a major development regarding the US consortium linked with a bid to buy in and then attempt a full takeover of West Ham United.
With the opening of the summer transfer window, speculation surrounding a potential West Ham takeover has quietened in the last few days.
It was revealed last month that a mystery US investor has been in early talks to buy the Gold family’s 25 per cent stake in West Ham.
With the Hammers pleading poverty in the transfer market due to PSR off the back of a dismal season, supporters are growing restless.
Especially as rival Premier League clubs are already doing some impressive business.
And particularly as West Ham fans were promised the move to the London Stadium would enable the club to compete on the transfer front.
West Ham takeover talk stirs excitement and hope among fans
So there was much excitement when word emerged that a US investor was eyeing the Gold stake now that it has exited probate following his death in 2023.
Since the recent West Ham takeover speculation ignited, it has been revealed the man greasing the wheels for the US Hammers bid is none other than existing stakeholder and American finance guru Albert Tripp Smith.
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There was an intriguing Chelsea twist to the situation when a top board source claimed Chelsea part-owner Mark Walter and Guggenheim Partners were involved in the potential West Ham buy-in.
Walter is the CEO of Guggenheim Partners, a global investment firm said to have over £260 billion in assets.
Guggenheim is well known to American investment executive and Hammers stakeholder Tripp Smith – who owns eight per cent of the east London club – as he is the co-founder of GSO Capital Partners, the credit investment platform of The Blackstone Group.
Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images
Other wealthy Americans such as New York Jets owner Woody Johnson have also been linked with a West Ham bid.
West Ham confirmed the mystery potential bidder ‘seems ok’ but suggested any buy-in had not gone any further than ‘talk’.
It has been claimed the US bid could be part of a coup at West Ham by Tripp Smith, which would target the Gold family’s 25 per cent share to add to his eight per cent – but then also purchase Daniel Kretinsky’s 27 per cent stake too.
US consortium linked with West Ham bid makes £157m move
That, it’s been claimed, could then give the Tripp Smith and Guggenheim consortium – or another suitor – a controlling 60.1% share of West Ham to outvote the remaining stakeholders – chiefly David Sullivan.
It was also claimed Kretinsky, who recent reports state is considering selling his Hammers stake, could ‘probably be persuaded to sell’ if someone doubles the £168.75m he invested back in November 2021.
Now there has been a major West Ham takeover development as the US consortium linked with a bid makes a £157m move.
It is being reported in Italy that Guggenheim and Walter are about to buy a football club.
But it doesn’t appear to be West Ham right now – although there would be nothing stopping the group bidding for the Hammers too as long as Walter relinquished his stake in Chelsea.
Photo by James Chance/Getty Images
Photo by James Chance/Getty Images
Does Udinese move rule Guggenheim out for Hammers?
Because Guggenheim has made a £157m move to buy Italian outfit Udinese.
And according to reports from the likes of Football Italia, the sale could be closed in Luxembourg on Friday.
If completed, the sale will bring an end to the Pozzo family’s 39-year reign of the Serie A outfit.
Walter and Guggenheim Partners are the sole owners of MLB team the Los Angeles Dodgers, and also own stakes in NBA outfit the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.
Although Walter is listed as a Chelsea director, it is said he is not involved in the day-to-day running of West Ham’s London rivals.
Many ownership groups – like Chelsea – are going down the multi-club route.
So while this huge development by no means counts Guggenheim Partners out of the running to invest in West Ham, it suggests their priorities may be in Italy right now.