Shaquille O'Neal interested in investing in a Premier League club

Shaquille O'Neal, NBA legend, is interested in investing in West Ham and is in negotiations to become one of the shareholders of last season's ninth-place finisher in the Premier League, reports The Sun this Friday.

According to a source cited by the tabloid, the 52-year-old former American basketball player developed this desire after watching a game of the "Hammers" last season.

"He went to a game at the end of the season and loved it. Now it’s a matter of making sure everything is fine with his finances," the source stated, ensuring that O’Neal intends to invest "a lot of money" in the London club.

O’Neal, known for his successful basketball career and diverse business ventures, has expressed interest in expanding his investment portfolio into the world of football. His potential involvement with West Ham could bring significant attention and additional financial resources to the club, enhancing its competitive edge in the Premier League.

It should be noted that former FC Porto coach Julen Lopetegui will be the manager of West Ham next season, succeeding David Moyes. Lopetegui’s appointment marks a new era for the club, with high expectations for improvement and success in domestic and international competitions.

West Ham supporters are eagerly anticipating the potential partnership, hoping that O’Neal’s investment could lead to further development of the team’s infrastructure, player acquisitions, and overall performance. The combination of Lopetegui’s managerial expertise and O’Neal’s financial backing could be a transformative moment for the club.

The negotiations are still in the early stages, but there is optimism that a deal could be reached, paving the way for one of basketball’s greatest icons to make his mark in the world of football. Fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see how this potential investment unfolds and what it could mean for the future of West Ham United.

Alavés pay a very high price for reaching the round of sixteen

Alavés beat Sevilla to reach the Copa del Rey round of sixteen, but injuries to Jonny Otto and Lucas Boyé threaten their plans ahead of the Osasuna clash.

Benzema praises Sergio Conceicao

Karim Benzema reflects on his progression at Al Ittihad, admits his first season was average, praises Sergio Conceicao’s training intensity, and argues Saudi football is improving fast and is closer to Europe’s level than many believe.

Flamengo win the Brazilian title after winning the Libertadores

Flamengo crowned an historic season by clinching the Brazilian league title with a 1-0 win over Ceará, just four days after lifting their fourth Copa Libertadores.

Mbappé goes after reporter after four goal haul in the Champions League

Real Madrid’s forward scored four goals in a win over Olympiacos and, at the end of the game, was asked whether his team depends too much on him. Mbappé did not like the question.

Which players will Kompany be without in Berlin?

After the exhausting match in Paris, Bayern continue against Union Berlin. And Vincent Kompany once again has to find solutions.

French club emerges as the favorite for the loan

Real Madrid are preparing to loan out Endrick in January, with Lyon emerging as the frontrunner. The striker seeks regular minutes to regain form ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Kimmich on a BVB quality that has been added

In the top match between Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, Joshua Kimmich would like to make a statement, but he also highlights a new quality in the opponent.

Athletic find in Adama Boiro a full-back with hunger and patience

Adama Boiro, the young Senegalese full-back who grew up in Pamplona, is steadily making his mark at Athletic Club.

FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the organization “cannot solve geopolitical problems” amid growing calls for Israel to be suspended from international football due to the Gaza conflict. While the UN and several federations demand action, Infantino insists FIFA’s mission is to unite people through football, leaving responsibility to UEFA.

'Mister Bundesliga' Gouweleeuw misses a match again after two years

Jeffrey Gouweleeuw will have to watch from the sidelines at FC Augsburg for the time being. A knee injury forces the Dutch captain of the German club to take a break for now.

The question for Werner: Who will replace Schlager and Nusa?

On Saturday, RB Leipzig will host 1. FC Köln and aim for a third consecutive victory. However, the Saxons will have to replace two key players. Timo Werner is likely to be in the squad.

Haaland can’t sleep because of former club

Erling Haaland is deeply unhappy with the current situation at Bryne FK, the first club of the Norwegian striker. On social media, Haaland criticized the present state of his former team, where he spent his entire youth development.

Tottenham Hotspur disgusted by online racism after Tel miss: ‘Anonymous cowards’

Tottenham Hotspur have spoken out, a day after the UEFA Super Cup, against the racist abuse directed at Mathys Tel on social media. The forward, like Micky van de Ven, missed a penalty in the shootout.

Darwin moves to Saudi Arabia for half of what he cost

Darwin Núñez is set to join Al Hilal for €53 million, just three years after Liverpool paid up to €100 million for the striker. The transfer marks a financial loss for the Premier League champions, while Benfica receives €530,000 through FIFA’s solidarity mechanism.

Bozeník finds shelter in the Championship after Boavista's downfall

Róbert Bozeník continues his career in the Championship. The former Feyenoord striker has signed a three-year deal with Stoke City, which is taking the 25-year-old Slovak over from Boavista.

Top Countries

Around the web

Barcelona win away at Guadalajara and advance in the Copa del Rey

Barcelona needed a late breakthrough to beat third tier Guadalajara 2–0 in the Copa del Rey, with Christensen and Rashford scoring after a De Jong assist, as other ties saw late drama and notable upsets.

Salah is a grown man and can say whatever he wants

Mohamed Salah apologised to Liverpool team-mates after publicly criticising the club and head coach Arne Slot, with Curtis Jones describing the apology and Liverpool managing the fallout through a short omission and swift reintegration before Salah joins Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Udinese are reduced to ten men and concede five goals

Fiorentina claimed their first league win of the season with a 5-1 rout of ten man Udinese at the Franchi, sparked by an early red card for Okoye and powered by goals from Mandragora, Gudmundsson, Ndour and a Kean brace.

Bell wants to make history with Mainz 05

Mainz 05’s stadium is almost sold out for the match against Samsunspor. Despite the many fans of the Turkish club, Stefan Bell believes there will be a home-game atmosphere, in which he wants to achieve something historic.

This is how Mainz will go straight into the round of 16 on Thursday

Mainz 05 have already secured a place in the Conference League play-offs ahead of the final matchday of the league phase. But the Bundesliga bottom side would like to avoid the extra round and knows what scenarios would make that possible.

Rayo Vallecano and Mainz among the teams through to the Conference League round of sixteen

Rayo Vallecano and Mainz joined Strasbourg and other qualifiers in sealing direct passage to the UEFA Conference League round of sixteen, while the remaining contenders head into February’s play off ties and Universitatea Craiova suffered late heartbreak to miss out on qualification.

Reijnders opens his account at the Etihad Stadium

Tijjani Reijnders played an important role on Saturday in Manchester City’s home win over West Ham United and scored his first goal at the Etihad Stadium. The Netherlands international was in high spirits after the match, although his manager Pep Guardiola added a note of caution.

Napoli condemns Allegri for an uncontrolled assault in the Italian Super Cup

Napoli’s two to nil Italian Super Cup win over AC Milan was overshadowed by a club statement accusing Massimiliano Allegri of repeated insults toward sporting coordinator Gabriele Oriali, raising the prospect of scrutiny from match officials and disciplinary authorities.

Argentina faces Spain in the run-up to the World Cup on historic ground

Argentina and Spain will meet in the run-up to the World Cup as part of the Finalissima. The match will take place on March 27 in Qatar, a special location for the world champions.

The El Khannouss problem at Stuttgart

It is the Africa Cup rather than the Bundesliga for Bilal El Khannouss now. The ambition and hunger for success of the Morocco international also have drawbacks for VfB Stuttgart.