A number of recent developments at West Ham give a major indication about Daniel Kretinsky’s ambitions at the club.
Kretinsky has the option to complete a full takeover of the Hammers at a set price as part of his original agreement with the GSB regime for a 27 per cent stake in 2021.
The Czech multi-billionaire has not exercised that option. And, publicly at least, has tempered any expectations that a takeover is on his agenda at present.
However, the 48-year-old is famed for his unpredictable approach when it comes to mergers and acquisitions, so many have suggested that it is not out of the question entirely.
But the latest events in Kretinsky’s wider business empire, as well goings on behind the scenes at West Ham itself, appear to indicate where his priorities currently lie.
Three clues Daniel Kretinsy isn’t planning takeover any time soon
In news that will have caught many Hammers fans of guard, The Sun reported today that Shaquille O’Neal is engaged in talks with West Ham about acquiring a stake.
The retired NBA superstar’s net worth is less than £400m, so a full takeover would be impossible for the 52-year-old.
But he could acquire a minority stake and effectively become an ambassador for the club overseas.
We’ve seen this with Hollywood star Will Ferrell at Leeds United and NFL legend Tom Brady at Birmingham City, for example.
In any case, the fact that West Ham are courting interest from the likes of O’Neal suggests that a deal with Kretinsky will not be forthcoming.
And two other developments in the Sparta Prague owner’s business portfolio appear to reinforce that.
As reported by Bloomberg, Kretinsky’s £600m takeover bid for French IT firm Atos is now back on the cards after a rival offer collapsed at the eleventh hour
The company, which is a major sponsor for Euro 2024, is facing financial difficulties and would require huge capital investment and resources if Kretinsky does manage to take control.
That would be tough to juggle alongside full ownership of West Ham.
What’s more, it looks like Kretinsky’s bid for the purchase of the Royal Mail is set to go through as he has offered workers a stake in the company in order to ease concerns about the £3.6bn takeover.
As with Atos, steering a British institution like the Royal Mail would leave little time to concentrate on West Ham.
Karren Brady’s search for West Ham investors in the Middle East
David Sullivan, Vanessa Gold and Karren Brady remain keen on taking on fresh investment, regardless of whether that is from Kretinsky or someone else.
A portion of Gold’s shares are up for sale. She inherited her late father’s stake and is looking to divest some but not all of it.
Vice-chairman Brady recently flew out to the Middle East to explore investment opportunities, although it is not thought that the trip yielded much success.
US private equity firms would surely be interested. MSP Sports Capital have failed in a bid to buy Everton, so the New York-headquartered firm could theoretically be an option.