Any speculation around West Ham's ownership following the death of David Gold are wide of the mark, finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed.
What's the word?
David Gold was one of West Ham's co-owners alongside David Sullivan and Karen Brady before his passing this week, and it has been mooted that shareholder Daniel Kretinsky will now look to complete a full takeover of the club.
However, Maguire has claimed that any discussions about West Ham's ownership are not advanced, and no decisions have been made.
Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire explained that the fact that Sullivan had more shares in the club than Gold will mean that Kretinsky has another stumbling block in the way of a takeover.
“There is only speculation at present about what the Gold family are likely to do with his investment in the club,” he stated.
“Sullivan still had a much bigger share than Gold. It would appear that Sullivan still wants to have a significant interest in decision-making at West Ham.
“So, all we have at the moment is speculation and rumour with regards to a full Kretinsky takeover.
“Kretsinsky himself does have other significant investments that he will spend plenty of his time dealing with. That could mean that he will continue to be happy with a minority stake.
“In respect of any potential delays in operational matters, I can’t see anything happening before the April deadline.“
Increased spending
West Ham have spent more in recent seasons, following an impressive few campaigns which saw them finish higher up the table and reach the Europa League semi-finals.
The summer window saw them recruit Gianluca Scamacca, Lucas Paqueta and Nayef Aguerd for large fees, but this has not translated to results.
The Hammers sit 17th in the Premier League, and given their large outlay in the summer, it looks unlikely that they will invest further in the January window, despite the threat of relegation.
David Moyes will be hoping that the uncertainty amongst the ownership does not prove to be a distraction, given the tough relegation battle that lies ahead, and he will hope that despite his comments about a January deal looking unlikely, they will be able to bring in some reinforcements in the window.