There has been interest in West Ham from two separate parties, according to the Daily Mail. It was reported at the weekend that director Tripp Smith is planning on putting together a US consortium in order to buy a majority stake in the club.

The shareholder bought 10% of the Hammers three years ago but he will need investment from other parties if he wants to take full control from David Sullivan and David Gold.

However, the Mail report that there is now a second group interested in a takeover. A “high powered” consortium based in the United Arab Emirates have emerged as candidates in “recent weeks.”

The newspaper do, though, emphasise that a potential bid from one of the interested parties “is not imminent” which is likely to come as a disappointment to many supporters who have been left frustrated by the lack of investment from Sullivan and Gold in recent years.