West Ham stadium owners hold talks over lucrative sponsorship deal to rename ground with German financial firm Allianz and US ticketing firm Stage Front

German financial firm Allianz have held talks over a mega-money naming rights deal for West Ham’s London Stadium home.

Allianz, who have strong connections with Bayern Munich and Juventus, have a serious interest in securing a sponsorship deal for the London Stadium with initial talks understood to be underway.

Stage Front - a US ticketing firm - are also interested in sponsoring the 60,000-capacity ground but Allianz’s overtures are understood to be the strongest at the stage.

In 2017, Vodafone shelved plans to buy the London Stadium’s naming rights in a deal worth £20million over six years.

It is hoped any future stadium sponsorship agreement can at least match that figure.

The facility, which housed the London 2012 Olympics, is owned by E20 Stadium LLP, a body set up by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to handle the stadium’s future.

However, West Ham, together with the LLDC, have a key involvement in discussions regards their home ground’s naming rights with both parties committed to working together throughout the process.

Mail Sport understands that any final agreement is not imminent, although Allianz and Stage Front are serious about their interest.

The LLDC will pocket £4million of any future naming rights package, with anything over that split equally with West Ham, who pay £2.5million a year in rent for the London Stadium.