Long-time suitors David Gold and David Sullivan were the original front-runners in the long drawn out circus but their bid is believed to be well short of the asking price CB Holdings are looking for and they are now said to be an outside bet.
AirAisa founder and Lotus F1 owner Tony Fernandes, who has been giving curious snippets of information away via his twitter site, would be a popular choice with Hammers fans and his bid is said to be more popular that Gold & Sullivan’s with the syndicate of banks that make up West Ham’s creditors.
The Intermarket group, said to be made up of wealthy London based Hammers fans, are believed to be offering the best package for CB Holdings and Straumar, but had apparently been unable to provide proof of funds. If they have now managed to show this, then their bid must surely be in a good position.
The late arrival of another bid, in the last couple of days, from Italian Massimo Cellino, has been met with shock amongst supporters, but a number of Italian media outlets have curiously already reported that a deal has been concluded and that the President of Italian side Cagliari will become the new owner over the weekend. One stumbling block to the Italians bid could be the Premiership club owners' ‘fit and proper persons’ test. Cellino has reportedly been convicted in Italy for offences relating to dishonesty and false accounting.
So, the merry-go-round continues, the rumour mill grows stronger, yet we are all none the wiser as to who will win control of our club.