How David Sullivan ramifications continue to be felt after West Ham Women sale latest
West Ham United Women had looked set to be sold for big-money in the near future.
Indeed, West Ham were reported to have entered into advanced talks over a sale back in August last year.
Widely shared as being worth around £55million, a sale of that magnitude would have enabled the club's financial position to improve significantly.
Monarch Collective, an investment firm dedicated exclusively to acquiring women's sports teams, are the proposed buyers of West Ham Women.
Should a sale go through, it would mark an exciting new chapter for the Hammers' women's side.
However, this process has now reportedly hit a potentially fatal barrier.
Why is Monarch Collective's West Ham Women takeover in doubt?
West Ham Zone has been following Amanda Staveley's potential takeover of West Ham after David Sullivan stepped down from his position as joint-chair and director in June.
This news came after a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and the Times newspaper which aired allegations regarding his behaviour towards women.
It's since been revealed that Sullivan has been banned from contact with West Ham's women's and youth teams since 2023, with the 77-year-old denying all allegations.
Now, as per Sky News, negotiations involving Monarch Collective have stalled amid the allegations facing Sullivan, who still remains as West Ham's largest shareholder with a 38.8 per cent stake.
The Los Angeles-based company were looking to take on a full controlling stake of West Ham Women, but now that seems far from certain.
If the deal is to fall through after such a long negotiatory period, it would represent a huge shame for the women's team, who could really do with some serious investment.
How have West Ham Women fared in recent years?
Joining the Women's Super League (WSL) in 2018, West Ham Women have struggled to ever really compete towards the top of the division.
Their best-placed finish was when Oliver Harder's side came sixth of 12 in the 2021-22 season.
Since then, they've finished eighth, 11th, ninth and 10th respectively, and have been slipping closer towards relegation out of the WSL as a result.
But, with owners like Monarch Collective who have dedicated their craft to acquiring and investing in women's teams, a takeover from them could be the catalyst for major improvement over the coming years.