Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has welcomed the prospect of West Ham bidding to purchase the London Stadium.West Ham have played at the 2012 Olympics venue since the 2016/17 season following an emotional exit from their long-term home of the Boleyn Ground.West Ham have been presented with an opportunity to claim ownership of the London StadiumGettyOwned by the Greater London Authority, the multi-purpose stadium in Stratford is said to be costing city taxpayers £19million-per-year.The Hammers therefore pay annual rent as tenants although, due to their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship, this is now said to be less than half of the £4.6m that was first agreed.However, West Ham now appear to have been given encouragement over potential ownership of the stadium.In a letter read by City AM, Khan has responded to the suggestion of a sale by Bassam Mahfouz, a London Assembly member.“As you rightly note, we have had to make the best of a challenging contractual position inherited from the previous Mayor (Boris Johnson),” he said.“Despite these constraints, I am proud of the progress we have made in ensuring that the stadium works as hard as possible for Londoners.”“I have always been clear that we would consider any credible proposal for the stadium, provided it offers value for taxpayers, protects the public interest and preserves the wider economic, social and sporting benefits the venue delivers for London,” Khan added.West Ham’s future at the London StadiumThe prospect of buying the London Stadium is nothing new for West Ham and their fans.Former Newcastle United chief Amanda Staveley was reportedly keen on a purchase when eyeing investment in the club, which ultimately failed as Daniel Kretinsky agreed to become the majority shareholder.A purchase could lead to the redevelopment of a stadium that many of those who support its current tenants have not been fond of.The London Stadium has not be well-received by many West Ham supporters since they moved there in 2016GettyGiven it was originally built for track and field events at the Olympics, there is a sense that the bowl-shaped arena does not truly feel like it suits football.West Ham also announced that the stadium was to be included as a host venue in the government’s 2029 World Athletics Championships bid, although Nairobi was chosen over London.Some visiting supporters have mocked the long-range view that they have in the upper tier of the away end.The stands behind each goal were curved in line with the running track during West Ham’s early years as stadium residents, but they have since been squared off and now sit closer to the pitch.With a capacity of around 68,000, which can increase to 80,000 for concerts, there is enough more opportunity of increased revenue.However, West Ham supporters are keen for a more traditional home to watch their side, especially when the Boleyn Ground was iconic for how close the stands were to the pitch.The Boleyn Ground, which was West Ham’s home for 112 years, was famous for its atmosphere with fans closer to the pitchGetty