Who is Daniel Kretinsky? The billionaire behind a potential West Ham buy-out
West Ham is the latest Premier League club to attract significant foreign investment, with Czech-based billionaire Daniel Kretinsky reportedly ready to invest £189 million in a stake in the side. Newcastle United was bought by a consortium headed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund for £305 million only weeks ago.
After a thrilling match to end Liverpool’s unbeaten run on the 7th November, Daniel Kretinsky was seen in the directors’ box as West Ham won a 3-2 victory over Liverpool to underline their top-four credentials.
Since 2010, David Sullivan and David Gold have controlled the East London club. Kretinsky will join the team within the next few days in a transaction that will eventually result in him having full control of the club.
Kretinsky is in “advanced negotiations to acquire a 27% stake in West Ham,” according to Sky News editor Mark Kleinman. According to Sky Sports, Kretinsky will have the option to acquire complete ownership of the club after an unannounced amount of time. We’re going to go through exactly who Daniel Kretinsky is and what he can bring to West Ham.
Who is Daniel Kretinsky?
The 46-year-old lawyer is no stranger to the world of football. He has been the owner of Sparta Prague, a Czech team, since 2004, but that is only the beginning of his vast business empire. Kretinsky has a wide range of passions, including a 49% stake in the French newspaper Le Monde as well as stakes in Foot Locker and Macy’s.
He has also become more active in the United Kingdom in recent years. Two of his most important holdings are a 15% interest in Royal Mail and a 10% ownership of Sainsbury’s.
What is Daniel Kretinsky worth?
Overall, Forbes estimates Kretinsky’s net worth at about $3 billion. To take full control of West Ham, he would need to part with roughly £700 million. Of course, that £3 billion is nowhere near the £320 billion Newcastle’s new owners are supposedly worth, but it demonstrates Kretinsky has the financial wherewithal to overhaul the West Ham squad significantly.
How does this benefit West Ham?
Sparta Prague experience
Kretinsky has worked in the football business previously. He is the owner of Sparta Prague, which he took control of in 2004, and has been since then. Since taking charge, his squad has won the league four times. With the amazing form of West Ham, he’ll want to keep up his great run and hope for Champions League qualification. If he has his way, the chances of that happening rise significantly with Kretinsky’s support. If he has his way, you’d back West Ham’s top-four with frequent participation in UEFA’s top club competition in the future.
More Czech success?
Aside from the simple fact that they will most certainly benefit from a large investment in the club, what does he bring to the table? Vladimír Coufal, Tomáš Souček, and Alex Král are already on board at West Ham. Could we see more Czech players come in, given the success of current Czech players? You’d like to think West Ham would welcome them with open arms.
A passion for football
In an interview with football analyst Jiří Hošek, Jiri explains that ” is a very passionate owner. I think that getting involved in football matters to him at the club level more than would be desirable. There are some very dramatic stories being told behind the curtains about his involvement in choosing the line-up, the coaches and discussing the team’s tactics.” Daniel Křetinský is an excellent fit for West Ham, a fan of the game, and has prior ownership experience. It seems he would be very comfortable in his new role as West Ham’s third owner.