The indirect shareholder of the “World” takes 27% participation in West Ham, currently in the third place of the Premier League.
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English football welcomes a new billionaire. The Czech Daniel Kretinsky, moreover indirect shareholder of the world, bought, Wednesday, November 10, 27% of the capital of Wh Holding, which holds the West Ham team. He would have paid 160 million pounds (186 million euros) according to several British media. An amount that the club does not deny.
m. Kretinsky rises to the capital of a club that has the rise on the rise. West Ham, an old Eastern London team created in 1895, currently third in the premier League standings, is the surprise of this season. Sunday, November 7, she even imposed on Liverpool (3-2).
The main shareholders of West Ham, David Sullivan and David Gold, have invested in the club in recent years. They recruited coach David Moyes, the former Manchester United Coach, in 2017. This summer, during the transfers period, West Ham spent 63 million pounds in the purchase of four players, which made it The fourth club the strongest, according to The data compiled by Sky News . Classified 7 e The richest of the first League (out of twenty) by Forbes, the “Hammers” are part of these teams who hopes to jostle the few flagship clubs that systematically occupy the head of the ranking.
Fresh Silver
How far will the ambition of Mr. Kretinsky in West Ham? After his acquisition, carried out through his investment fund 1890s Holdings, he became the second shareholder of the club, behind Mr. Sullivan (38.8%), a Welsh businessman who made a fortune in pornographic magazines and the Sex-Shops, but before Mr. Gold (25.1%). He will have two seats on the board of directors, one for him and one for his Associate Pavel Horsky.
Is it a first step before a complete club acquisition? “Pure speculation”, answers a spokesman for West Ham. In his communiqué, the club rather evokes the need for a “reduction of [SA] long-term debt”. The fresh money brought by Czech billionaire should be used to continue investing “in the progress made by West Ham in recent years”.
m. Kretinsky breaths for the moment no word of any ambition, just to declare in the statement that “the development and growth of the club in recent years have been obvious and I am delighted to be part of what I believe to be An exciting future “.
The 46-year-old billionaire made a fortune in energy in Central Europe, particularly with coal plants. He had so far not invested in the sport outside the Czech Republic, where he has the Prague Sparta.