West Ham co-chair Daniel Kretinsky has sold just over 2% of his stake in the club to Czech businessman Jakub Havrlant in a move that could scupper Amanda Staveley’s own attempts to buy into the Championship outfit.

On Saturday, Vanessa Gold – West Ham’s other co-chair and daughter of former co-owner David – confirmed her family’s plans to sell its shares in the club to a consortium headed by ex-Newcastle United co-owner Staveley.

However, the deal was subject to West Ham’s long-standing pre-emption rights clause, which give existing shareholders first refusal on available shares and, in this case, matching Staveley’s offer.

Royal Mail owner Kretinsky bought 27% of West Ham in 2021.

He had been unable to complete his own deal with Gold that was announced in June, amid allegations made against the club’s majority shareholder David Sullivan in a BBC Panorama investigation.

Kretinsky has spoken out against the Staveley deal and said he was “considering his options” after the Gold family’s statement.

The sale to Havrlant is important because Kretinsky will now be able to buy Gold’s 25.1% stake without taking his own beyond 50%, which would force him to make an offer for the remainder of the club.

In theory, Sullivan, who still owns 38.8%, could also make an offer for Gold’s shares, but it is not clear whether that would be allowed given the nature of the allegations, which he denies, made against him.

It is expected the whole process around the sale of Gold’s shares could take two months as there are two rounds to the pre-emption process.

“I am delighted Jakub Havrlant has joined the West Ham ownership group as a shareholder, subject to the pre-emption process,” said Kretinsky.

“He brings exceptional experience as an investor and digital innovator and I have no doubt his involvement will strengthen our club.”