A consortium interested in a takeover of West Ham United, which is backed by former defender Rio Ferdinand, has held talks over the control of London Stadium. PAI Capital Ltd met with club owners David Sullivan and David Gold, who insist they won’t sell, in February.
Now talks with the London Legacy Development Corporation over the former Olympic Stadium have taken place. West Ham have leased their home from the LLDC since 2016. Former Queens Park Rangers chief executive Philip Beard, who is fronting the bid, said in a statement: “We genuinely believe that the club, stadium and park will thrive when the stakeholders are all pulling in the same direction.
“The only thing holding us back for now is the reluctance of the club’s owners to engage in constructive and realistic negotiations. “We believe they are willing to sell, and hope we can make progress in the coming weeks.” Lyn Garner, chief executive of the LLDC, has confirmed negotiations with PAI.
“We entered into discussions with PAI Capital on a set of principles that, if adopted, would see PAI Capital owning the stadium on a long leasehold should they reach agreement with the current owners of West Ham United and take a controlling interest in the club,” she said.
