With no Sullivan family involvement in the decision-making process at West Ham, eyes will focus on Kretinsky and Vanessa Gold.
In October 2023, Gold said she would consider selling a proportion of her stake “to the right partner”. So far, there has been no deal.
In recent weeks, speculation has increased that Kretinsky could take his stake in the club to 40%, which would be matched by Sullivan, as a way of helping to meet the Premier League’s current financial rules by the 30 June reporting date. Those rules will change next season.
Another way of ‘balancing the books’, at a club that reported losses of £104.2m in its most recent accounts to 31 May 2025 and is forecast to lose another hefty sum in the 2026 financial year, would be to sell players.
Kretinsky’s influence at West Ham is expected to grow.
A billionaire businessman, Kretinsky’s companies own a gas pipeline that has transported Russian gas to Europe. He also owns leading Czech football club Sparta Prague, is the largest shareholder in supermarket chain Sainsbury’s and, since April 2025, Royal Mail.
The 50-year-old rarely gives interviews. However, speaking to Czech podcast Vsechno zacina dnes – in a chat that has been translated by the BBC – in the days before West Ham’s relegation was confirmed, Kretinsky was asked if he would stay on if the club went down.
“Definitely,” he said.
“It doesn’t relate to whether we are in the first or second tier. Going down to the second tier is not a reason to leave the club. A reason for that would be if we could not agree on a common strategy or there was a fundamental problem at shareholder level.
“If we were to be relegated, I would seek every path to make sure West Ham return as quickly as possible to the Premier League.”
Asked if that might include taking a bigger stake in the club, Kretinsky said: “We will see what is offered.”
Greater involvement for Kretinsky would be met with enthusiasm by many supporters.
“West Ham United supporters want a club that reflects the values of decency, integrity and accountability,” said the prominent Hammers United fans group in the wake of the Panorama broadcast.
“While David Sullivan has now stepped away from his role at West Ham United, the focus should not be on football or club politics. It should be on ensuring that those affected are heard and that any outstanding questions are properly examined.
They added that their attention remained firmly on the women “whose experiences are at the heart of this programme”.
For now Karim Virani, who was appointed interim chief executive on 29 April in the wake of Brady’s exit – returning to the club he left in 2020 after five years leading its digital, marketing and commercial operation – will try to steer the club through the turbulence.
Secretary Andrew Pincher will also play a significant role. So too long-serving and highly respected financial director Andy Mollett, who is retiring in July. The recruitment process to replace him is under way but not yet concluded.
And then there is Nuno, who will try and repeat his achievement at Wolves in 2018 by leading West Ham to promotion.
Pre-season training starts on 6 July with the first friendly games, due to be announced in the coming days, shortly after.
The 2026-27 campaign starts in earnest with the EFL Cup first round – which West Ham will be in – on 8-9 August. The league season begins the week after that.
