Published 13 June 2026
Two major shareholders of West Ham have publicly criticised David Sullivan after finalising an arrangement that will see Daniel Kretinsky become the club's largest shareholder.
Kretinsky and Vanessa Gold stated they were "deeply concerned" following accusations of sexually exploitative and predatory conduct directed at Sullivan, as revealed by a joint BBC Panorama and Times investigation.
Kretinsky's ownership share in the club is set to increase from 27% to 43%, surpassing Sullivan's 38.8%.
"Our thoughts go out to those women who have fought so hard to make their voices heard," Kretinsky and Gold said in a statement.
"Any abuse of power is abhorrent, and it takes great courage and determination to speak up against it."
Sullivan, aged 77, has "categorically" denied the allegations, which cover the era when he amassed his wealth through pornography, newspapers, and football.
Kretinsky and Gold noted that the "full West Ham United Board was not notified about these allegations against Sullivan until approximately a month ago," but added they were unaware of the complete details of the allegations until they were made public on Monday.
Sullivan has been prohibited from interacting with the club's women's and youth teams for the past three years due to safeguarding concerns.
Kretinsky and Gold stated: "As communicated by West Ham, the Board representatives of shareholders other than David Sullivan were only made aware this week of the safeguarding measures that have been in place since 2023."
West Ham is managing the fallout from the investigation while simultaneously attempting to secure an immediate return to the Premier League after being relegated for the first time since 2012.
"As shareholders and directors of West Ham, our focus is now firmly on protecting the future of this football club," Kretinsky and Gold said.
"As such, we have reached agreement on the key terms of a share purchase transaction between the Gold family and 1890 Holdings, which, subject to other shareholders' pre-emption rights and necessary approvals, would make 1890 Holdings (part of the broader group EP) the largest shareholder in West Ham with an approximately 43% stake.
"As the largest shareholder, group EP will be able to provide the additional financing the club needs."
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Kretinsky and Gold call for united West Ham
West Ham co-chair Daniel Kretinsky (centre) at the club's Conference League final victory in Prague in June 2023
Kretinsky, who acquired his initial stake in West Ham in November 2021, and Gold, whose late father David was Sullivan's long-term business partner, indicated that their vision for West Ham's future is backed by fellow shareholders Tripp Smith, Daniel Harris, and Terry Brown.
"We are taking these steps because West Ham needs to be truly united at this moment in its history," they said.
"We expect to finalise this transaction in the next couple of weeks.
"Once the agreement is complete, group EP and the Gold family have also agreed to vote jointly on key matters and to support the strategy targeting an immediate return to the Premier League."
Despite being unable to keep West Ham in the Premier League, manager Nuno Espirito Santo has agreed to stay in his role to pursue promotion from the Championship, a feat he accomplished with Wolves in 2018.
It remains unclear what immediate effect the deal will have on Nuno's squad.
West Ham recorded losses of £104.2m in the financial year ending 31 May, 2025, and are on track for another substantial deficit this year.
It was anticipated that several of their leading players would depart, including Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who is drawing significant interest from Manchester United, although the club is reluctant to pay the £80m West Ham is reportedly seeking for him.
Given his personal wealth—he also holds a substantial stake in supermarket chain Sainsbury's—Kretinsky has the resources to inject funds into West Ham if necessary and, together with Gold, is intent on returning to the top flight as soon as possible.
However, the pair also aim to rebuild relationships with the club's fans, who have previously staged repeated protests against Sullivan and former vice-chair Karren Brady over the club's management.
"Our goal is to stabilise West Ham, retain as many of our key players as possible and, under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo, secure an immediate return to the Premier League," the statement said.
"We are also committed to engaging with our fans and all business partners to build a stronger future for our club.
"We believe that a strong coalition – of fans, players, management and the board – is essential to securing the bright future this club deserves. We are absolutely committed to playing our part."
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