Daniel Kretinsky net worth reveal suggests sustainable long-term future for West Ham United
West Ham United takeover talk with Daniel Kretinsky has been well documented this season, and the Czech billionaire’s net worth has highlighted the potential direction he could send the club in.
According to 6foot2 (4 May), Kretinsky’s net worth is £7.5 billion – making him the second richest person in the Czech Republic and contributing towards the Hammers having the fourth richest owners in the Premier League.
The combined net worth of West Ham’s owners is an estimated £10.5 billion, which only puts them behind Newcastle United (£493 billion), Manchester City (£17.5 billion) and Chelsea (£12.5 billion).
Kretinsky currently owns 27% of the shares at the club and has an option to complete a full buy-out at a set price, if David Sullivan and the family of the late David Gold are willing sellers.
Jacob Steinberg reported in The Guardian (8 March) that the 47-year-old has the first option on Sullivan’s 38.8% stake and second on The Gold Estate’s 25.1%.
And if Kretinsky were to take majority control of the club, his financial stability could send the club in a completely new direction and allow them to target a new calibre of personnel in the transfer market on a regular basis.
It would still be unlikely that he would splash £100million in the transfer market, but such wealth is certainly important to a sustainable long-term plan at the club.
When looking at ownerships elsewhere in the Premier League, such as Leeds United under Andrea Radrizzani and Farhad Moshiri at Everton, it shows the negative spiral clubs can be sent in under poor ownership structures.
However, for Kretinsky to complete a full takeover of the club in the near future, maintaining Premier League status this season is simply imperative.
David Moyes’ side are currently just four points above the relegation zone with just four games of the season remaining, with the coming month likely to be critical to any potential movements in the boardroom this summer.
Kretinsky possesses the deep pockets to propel West Ham United in a new direction, but for now, it’s over to Moyes to deliver the goods on the pitch.