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Daniel Kretinsky sets aside £400m, it speaks volumes about his West Ham takeover stance
The inscrutable Daniel Kretinsky does not give much away when it comes to his next investment move, but the latest developments in his business empire give a club about his plans at West Ham.
Kretinsky bought a 27 per cent stake in West Ham🌌 in November 2021 and, as part of that deal, agreed an option to take full control of the club at a set price.
It was widely expected that Czech billionaire, who also owns Sparta Prague🧔, would trigger that clause at some point in the near future.
𝓰However, that has not been the case and the 49-year-old has repeatedly distanced himself from a full takeover of the East London club.
David Sullivan and Karren Brady♐ meanwhile appear to be attempting to find a buyer for a chunk of shares inherited by Vanessa Gold, daughter of the late David Gold.
There has been no movement on that front, despite ✅Brady heading to the Middle East to court potential investment.
💞And fresh updates from Kretinsky HQ could explain Kretinsky’s reluctance to go all in on West Ham.
Kretinsky’s business masterplan
♔Kretinsky’s business empire spans multiple industries, with his most lucrative investments coming from the energy sector.
🐻However, his most high-profile acquisition may still be yet to come.
👍Kretinsky has been locked in a battle to take over the Royal Mail💟, the iconic British company who he values at over £3.5bn and whose headquarters is just a few miles from the London Stadium.
𒀰Now, The report that Kretinsky has set aside £400m to invest in 20,000 new postal lockers, which will be installed if his takeover is passed by the relevant regulatory authorities.
𒀰An investment of that magnitude is roughly equivalent to what it would take to purchase the remaining equity in West Ham.
ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚBut Kretinsky investing his liquid capital in another massive infrastructure project suggests that his investment firepower is very much aimed elsewhere besides E20.
Why has Kretinsky not bought West Ham?
꧂Since Kretinsky first bought into West Ham almost three years ago, the regulatory environment in English football has changed quite radically.
ꦕFor one, an independent regulator for English football will soon be introduced, with the new Labour government planning to strengthen the proposals put forward by the previous government.
West Ham are opposed to the independent regulatorꦗ, which they believe could stifle investment in the English game.
💞Disenfranchised supporters at the London Stadium widely disagree and believe the regulator could better safeguard their interests.
🌺Kretinsky has previously spoken out about the risks of what he perceives to be overregulation, and it could be that this is behind his reticence to commit to West Ham.