Former Independent News & Media executive David Palmer is reportedly lining up a £58m bid for Trinity Mirror's Northern Irish newspaper titles, including the Derry Journal, Donegal Democrat and Belfast Newsletter.
The London Times says Palmer has teamed up with private equity group HgCapital to make a bid. Palmer left the board of INN last year, and was a previously chief executive of the Financial Times.
Other potential bidders include a group led by Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside, Scottish Radio Holdings, and Thomas Crosbie Holdings, owner of the Irish Examiner and Sunday Business Post.
Trinity Mirror put the Northern Irish titles up for sales in July, as part of a cost cutting drive by new chief executive Sly Bailey.
