Following the first announcement from Amanda Staveley regarding the ‘Gold’ shares – Vanessa Gold’s 25.1% shareholding in West Ham United – Daniel Kretinsky moved swiftly to nullify her offer and seek to acquire the shares himself.
As we now know, the Czech Sphinx passed some 2% of his own shareholding over to fellow Czech businessman Jakub Havrlant to avoid triggering a clause forcing him to buy the balance of the shares in the club at an inflated price.
Round one to Kretinsky.
Staveley then apparently pivoted and countered, by offering to buy David Sullivan’s 38% shareholding in a move which would have taken the Czech by surprise. Round two to Staveley?
In for 25% of West Ham United initially: Amanda Staveley also bid for David Sullivan’s full 38% share holding.
Now according to sources this evening, Staveley has had a response from Sullivan who has rejected her bid worth some £240 million for his shares outright. Former Sun journalist Alan Nixon claims that:
“Sullivan to play hard ball with Staveley” ..
Sullivan has ‘batted away’ her offer as being far too low. No real surprise to anyone remotely aware of the former Chairman’s modus operandi.
The ball is well and truly in Staveley’s court to respond with an increased offer, pivot again, or simply walk away. Somehow I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this particular boardroom drama.