A consortium led by Amanda Staveley is closing in on a 25% stake in West Ham United, a deal The Times reports could pave the way for a full takeover of the club.

Staveley is no stranger to Premier League boardrooms. She played a central role in the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United in 2021, helping broker the deal that transformed the club's fortunes before stepping away from her position at St James' Park last year. Now she is targeting a return to English football's top table — this time in east London.

According to Sky News, Staveley is specifically eyeing at least part of the stake held by the Gold family, who alongside David Sullivan have controlled West Ham since 2010. Vanessa Gold, daughter of the late co-chairman David Gold, holds a significant portion of the club's shares and has been the subject of ongoing speculation about a potential sale.

The Times, which first reported the talks on 30 July, describes the 25% purchase as potentially the first step toward a broader takeover. That would mark a significant shift in ownership at a club that has spent recent years balancing Premier League ambition with the financial realities of the London Stadium — the converted athletics ground West Ham have called home since leaving Upton Bay in 2016.

One factor that could shape the outcome is Daniel Kretinsky. The Czech billionaire already holds a 27% stake in West Ham, acquired in 2021, and Yahoo Sports reported in late June that he may be prepared to work alongside Staveley in a partnership rather than block her ambitions. How those two shareholding blocs align — or clash — will likely determine whether a full buyout becomes feasible.

For West Ham fans, the arrival of a well-financed consortium would raise familiar questions. The club finished 14th in the Premier League last season, a steep drop from the Conference League triumph of 2023 and the back-to-back European semi-finals that preceded it. Manager Graham Potter, appointed mid-season, is still settling into the role. New investment could accelerate his rebuilding project — or it could bring the kind of uncertainty that ownership transitions sometimes carry.

Staveley's track record at Newcastle, where early transfer windows delivered signings that improved the squad quickly, will not be lost on supporters hopeful for similar momentum.

No deal has been finalised. Talks are ongoing, and the structure of any agreement — how much of the Gold family's stake changes hands, what role Staveley would take, and whether Kretinsky stays on as a partner — remains under negotiation. But the direction of travel is clear enough: West Ham's ownership picture may be about to change.