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Consequently, United have emerged as a potential landing spot for both players should West Ham find themselves compelled to sell their star pair.
Nevertheless, Kretinsky has left no doubt that West Ham have absolutely no intention of allowing their key players to walk out the door this summer.
We have a very credible strategy,” Kretinsky said in an interview with The Times. “We don’t need to sell the players for financial reasons.
“We are doing this to make sure we are promoted back to the Premier League immediately. That is our only goal.
On the player front if we got to keep Bowen but had to sell the other two big guns I could live with that. I personally would give Coufal a knock and ask if he would like to return.
"Amanda Staveley, the financier who orchestrated takeovers of Manchester City and Newcastle United, did not deny that she could be involved in a bid for West Ham United when asked directly by Spear’s."
"Staveley told Spear’s: ‘We’ve looked at a lot of clubs, including Tottenham, but we are looking at clubs around the Premier League and the UK, Europe. […] We really want to be buying, going in and investing into a club again very soon.’
However, Staveley had not previously confirmed her interest in West Ham.
When asked by Spear’s whether she was considering a swoop for the East London club, which was relegated this season and has been gripped by a broader crisis, Staveley smiled broadly and said: ‘Maybe. You don’t know.’
https://spearswms.com/wealth/is-football-financier-amanda-staveley-preparing-a-bid-for-west-ham/
All rather vague and speculative
"What Mr. Křetínský doesn’t want is a bidding war to begin for [Sullivan’s] shares,” the source said. “He welcomed the idea of having Staveley as a partner in the club and on the board, but the eagerness to have equal equity has caused him to pause"
This has also put a pause on signing Steve Nickson as Sporting Director. Word is he had a good working relationship with Staveley at Newcastle and is keen to work with her again
https://greenstreethammers.com/staveley-s-ask-of-equal-equity-stalls-buyout-of-sullivan-and-sporting-director-appointment-01kvq26jhcpw
Karren Brady resigned as vice-chair at West Ham United in April, it was said, to focus on other interests and her work in the House of Lords. It was impeccable timing, coming just before the club was relegated from the Premier League and its co-owner, former pornographer David "Slug" Sullivan, stepped down ahead of a Times and a Panorama investigation into serious allegations of sexually exploitative behaviour towards women (see Eye 1677).
Baroness Brady knew Sullivan had been banned by the Football Association from contact with the West Ham women's and youth teams due to safeguarding concerns three years ago, but - via her lawyers at Carter-Ruck - she stated that she had relied on the principle of a "presumption of innocence" in continuing to work at the club and had "no knowledge" of the Times and Panorama allegations. Sullivan denies all wrongdoing.
Brady may have had no knowledge of those specific cases, but there can be little doubt that the woman who worked closely with Sullivan at his Sport Newspapers and football clubs for more than 30 years (Sullivan appointed her managing director at Birmingham City in 1993, when Brady was 23) was aware of other allegations.
Former Birmingham Mail editor Steve Dyson recalls Brady acting as middle-woman when he of wanted to put allegations of sexual misconduct to Sullivan when he was co-owner of Birmingham City in 2008. The woman involved later dropped the case.
In the House of Lords, Tory peer Brady has argued to dilute the football governance bill. She told the Boardroom podcast, co-presented by Jack Sullivan (son of David), that the proposed football regulator was "a solution in search of a problem".
In December 2024, Brady spoke in favour of an amendment to the bill's revised ownership suitability test. The bill stated that when the regulator checks a person's fitness to own or direct a club, they should consider if they've been party to any civil proceedings. The amendment supported by Brady was to add "relevant" to the clause. Brady told the Lords that the wording as it stood was "strikingly broad" and "would allow any civil proceedings, regardless of their nature or relevance, to count against someone in an ownership determination".
Brady also addressed the proposal that the regulator would be able to apply the test retrospectively to owners directors who were already in situ.claimed that this could affect foreign investment in clubs.
Brady has a habit of failing to spot a wrong 'un. She served as non-executive chair of Philip Green's retail holding company, Taveta Investments, before resigning when allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse emerged against Green. She had previously described him as the "most dynamic and energetic" businessperson she had ever encountered.
After relegation, West Ham fans are now pinning their hopes on Royal Mail owner Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire who last week became the club's majority shareholder after buying shares from Vanessa Gold, daughter the late David Gold, Sullivan's long-term business partner. Brady, famous as a sidekick on The Apprentice, oversaw a loss of more than £ I 00m in West Ham's last set of accounts.
How does life look for Brady after West Ham? Her financial future seems secure. Her company, BKB Media Ltd, described at Companies House as a media representation service, holds £6.3m in cash and has generated more than £9m in profits
Not good