The future of French newspaper Le Monde hangs in the balance as three separate bidders are reported to be closing in on the 66-year-old title.
A consortium bid worth more than €100m (£83m) – according to today's Financial Times – is widely reported to have been lodged by France Telecom, Spanish firm Prisa and Claude Perdriel, chief executive of French news magazine Nouvel Observateur.
Euronews reports that the heavyweight bidders are aiming for a 34% stake in the daily. The FT states that, if successful, France Telecom – which itself is 26% owned by the French state – would own a 20% stake in the newspaper.
A rival group, comprising Matthieu Pigasse, head of investment bank Lazard, entrepreneur Xavier Niel and 80-year-old industrialist Pierre Bergé, is also understood to have lodged a bid.
Meanwhile, Reuters Africa reports that Russian billionaire Gleb Fetisov is planning to buy the title. The 43-year-old telecoms and finance tycoon ranked 616th on the Forbes rich list 2010 , with an estimated worth of £1bn.
The flagship daily is said to be looking for investors offering between £98.3m (€80m) and £122.9m (€100m).
All bids will be reviewed on Thursday and Friday by employee unions, with the winner confirmed on Monday 28 June, reports the Irish Times.
