Former Birmingham City owners David Sullivan and David Gold have taken their first steps towards returning to football having made an offer to buy into West Ham.

According to BBC Sport, the duo would take a substantial shareholding for a nominal fee on the understanding that they invest in the team after Christmas. They also want the option of buying the club outright at a later date.

West Ham is currently owned by CB Holding, a company made up of creditors of Hansa, which was owned by former chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. Gudmundsson led the consortium which bought West Ham in 2006 for