The owner of West Ham United’s London Stadium insists there have been no formal bids from the club or any other party to buy the 68,000-capacity arena.

Reports had suggested that City Hall, which is effectively the stadium’s ultimate landlord, had set a £50m price tag for the sale of a venue that currently hosts Championship football and global athletics meets.

And while the former Premier League team – the subject of investment interest from former Newcastle United owner Amanda Stavely over the summer – has made no bid for the stadium, it is understood that West Ham remain open to discussions over the future of the stadium and have not ruled anything in or out.

West Ham are currently in the process of finalising an ownership restructure that will cement largest single shareholder Daniel Kretinsky as the main player, after former chairman David Sullivan stepped down from his board role following allegations about historic behaviour.

Sullivan ally Baroness Karren Brady also vacated her role as vice chair during a period of much change for the Irons. The club’s former chief commercial officer Karim Virani is currently serving as interim chief executive. West Ham are not expected to address the stadium question until the restructure is complete.

London Stadium for sale?

A London Stadium spokesperson said: “There has never been an offer to purchase London Stadium, and no price has been set.

“Our focus is on operating the Stadium in the best interests of London taxpayers, delivering a world-class venue and attracting the best possible programme of sport, music and entertainment events.

“London Stadium generates significant social and economic benefits for London and sits at the heart of one of the most successful Olympic regeneration legacies in the world. We have ambitious plans to build on that success.”

City AM reported this week that London Stadium chiefs want to see restrictions lifted on the arena’s capacity in a bid to challenge Wembley Stadium for blockbuster boxing fights. The London Stadium group is also keen to stage more concerts after hosting Sam Fender, Metallica and Take That over the last two summers.

The stadium costs London taxpayers £19m per year, according to Lyn Garner, chair of the London Stadium LLP. West Ham signed a friendly deal with City Hall a decade ago that sees them pay less than £5m per season to rent the arena. That fee was cut by nearly 50 per cent when the Hammers were relegated to the Championship last season.

“As demonstrated by our recent planning submission and wider campus development proposals, our focus is on enhancing the visitor experience, supporting further investment and expanding the range and number of events hosted at the Stadium,” a London Stadium spokesperson added.

“We remain focused on maximising the long-term value the Stadium delivers for London, local communities and the millions of visitors it welcomes each year.”