Amanda Staveley ‘wants to buy London Stadium at bargain price’ if she lands stake in West Ham

AMANDA STAVELEY wants to buy the London Stadium if she becomes a major West Ham shareholder. The British business executive is reportedly keen on exploring a bargain deal for the Hammers’ home if her bid for David Gold’s family’s 25 per cent stake is successful. Amanda Staveley is eyeing a bargain deal for West Ham’s London Stadium should she become a stakeholder Credit: Getty The stadium could be on the market for as little as £50million Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Staveley, 53, is locked in a boardroom battle with current co-owner Daniel Kretinsky, who is also trying to land the shares. But if she comes out on top, her ambitions may not stop at buying into the Championship club. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! According to The Times, Staveley wants to look at buying the London Stadium from the Greater London Authority. And London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has opened the door to talks if a sale could save taxpayers money. A spokesman for Khan said: “The Mayor would welcome any discussions regarding the London Stadium that would deliver greater value for money for Londoners.” The stadium – built for the 2012 Olympics – is thought to be worth as little as £50MILLION because of the huge cost of running it. West Ham‘s favourable tenancy agreement after moving into the stadium in 2016 has long been criticised, with the deal regularly labelled the “deal of the century”. The Hammers were paying around £4.4m a season to use the ground while they were in the Premier League, but that fee has now been cut following relegation. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Co-owner Daniel Kretinsky could be the only man blocking Staveley from becoming a stakeholder Credit: Getty Meanwhile, the latest accounts are expected to show the stadium is costing taxpayers around £19m to operate. Any sale would still come with strings attached, with London’s bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships meaning any MAJOR redevelopment would likely have to wait until after the event. Staveley – who pulled the strings in the Saudi takeover of Newcastle – hinted at those wider ambitions in an interview with Bloomberg last week, saying: “Whatever club we take, there’ll be a big property play as well. “We won’t just do a football-led. “I just want a challenge, and that’s what excites me. “That’s where you get value uplift – when you take something from seedling and allow it to grow.” But before she can start thinking about the stadium, Staveley first has to win the battle for a stake in West Ham. Staveley’s improved bid for the Gold family’s 25 per cent shareholding has been accepted. BUT Kretinsky – who owns 27 per cent already – has first refusal on the shares and is trying to get a deal over the line himself. Comment now