HERE IT IS:-
RANDY LERNER is on the brink of a £64million bid for Aston Villa.
The American billionaire’s advisers are back in talks with chairman Doug Ellis and Lerner will beef up his bid if he likes what he hears.
Lerner, 44, has been interested in buying Villa for some time but stepped back last week as three other consortiums broke their cover.
The owner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns was also sidetracked by the annual migration of his gridiron squad to their pre-season training camp.
But Lerner, who made an £800million fortune through the sale of family business MBNA, still wants the Premiership club.
The fact Villa have offered their manager’s job to Martin O’Neill has also helped.
O’Neill was first choice to replace David O’Leary for both Lerner and rival bidder Michael Neville.
The former Celtic and Leicester boss has promised Ellis a decision by the weekend and, if he says yes, will join Villa on their pre-season tour of Germany and Holland.
That leaves octogenarian Ellis free to concentrate on a sell-off before the start of the season.
Lerner leads the race but faces stiff competition from Neville and a group led by judge Nicholas Padfield, who revealed last night they might join forces.
Padfield said: “We have been approached by representatives from other consortia. One is a representative of Mr Neville.
“We are considering opening discussions with them. Nothing is going to happen until I return from holiday at the end of the week.
“One crucial issue is the extent to which Doug Ellis wants to retain a stake in the club or whether he is prepared to sell his entire shareholding.
“The other critical issue is what the position is as regards the team manager — has one been appointed, is one going to be appointed, the nature of his contract etc.
“This will impact on the amount of finance available to buy new players.
“I have had no discussions with Mr Ellis and all of us find it surprising no one from the club has bothered to tell us what the position is.
“I don’t anticipate we will be in a great rush to make a bid simply because we don’t have all the relevant information on which to base it.”
The other consortium interested in buying Villa is led by Sven Goran Eriksson’s adviser Athole Still
Doesn't tell us much to be honest. Something to fill the newspaper? Why didn't they just put a headline about AVO6 and Neville though? Why say Lerner is on the brink? Hmmmm. A rubbish paper to be fair though.
