'This is what surprises me' - Ex-PL club CEO drops 'half a billion' West Ham loan claim

West Ham United could have explored the market to get a better loan deal than the agreement they have reached with Rights and Media Funding.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, after it was revealed that West Ham have borrowed £124million from Rights and Media Funding.

It comes after West Ham reported a £104m loss in their 2024-25 financial accounts, with the club having already stated that player departures will be required in the summer.

West Ham’s financial situation will be dealt a further blow if the club are relegated from the Premier League this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side currently inside the bottom three on goal difference.

West Ham’s £500m borrowing revealed

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – is “surprised” about West Ham agreeing a loan deal with Rights and Media Funding.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness believes the Hammers could have chosen other companies at lower rates.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, Rights and Media Funding, if you remember their name, came up a lot around Everton at the time when 777 were involved.

“Rights and Media Funding, the rumours are, is backed by Michael Tabor, who is one of horse racing’s well-known faces and celebrities in the gambling world there. And they’re like a payday loan company, in essence, in terms of football clubs.

“Now, this is what surprises me, is that there are so many companies and private equity companies now coming in, looking to fund football clubs in this sort of area, that they’ve gone to Rights and Media at the sort of the rates that they would be charging.

“Yes, I think it’s £124m they’ve borrowed from them, but I think since roughly over the last 10 to 15 years they have borrowed probably half a billion from Rights and Media Funding. So they’re obviously good clients and they have paid back.”

Mads Hermansen transfer plan revealed

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that West Ham are not looking to sell Mads Hermansen in the summer transfer window.

Hermansen had a shaky start to life at the club following his move from Leicester City last summer, but the 25-year-old has become the number one goalkeeper under Nuno.

The Denmark international has started the last six Premier League games, with the shot stopper playing a key role in West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City last time out.

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