Bidders lining up for the Telegraph

TODAY'S deadline for bids for the Telegraph Group and/or parent Hollinger International should begin to bring to a head matters at the empire once controlled by media mogul Lord Black.

Black may be sidelined in the current process by the fact the bids are being delivered to investment bank Lazards on the instructions of Hollinger International's board which ousted him as chairman.

But his Hollinger Inc, the Canadian company which owns 31% of International yet controls 70% of its votes, could still scupper any plans.

In the meantime, the Daily Telegraph - profitable, prestigious and politically adept - remains the jewel in Hollinger's crown. Most buyers have run the rule over the title, the group - which includes The Spectator - and the whole of Hollinger International.

If the latter proves the best option there are buyers lined up for the Jerusalem Post, Chicago Sun-Times and a string of US regional titles.

Likely runners and riders now are:

The Barclay brothers: The multimillionaire twins whose move to pinch the whole of Hollinger for £250m from underneath any other bidders by striking a deal with Black was dramatically banned at the end of last month in a Delaware court. But Judge Leo Strine made it clear the Barclays were free to bid again in the open market.

Richard Desmond: Owner of Express Newspapers and no longer of a top shelf-load of soft porn magazines. He still owns adult TV stations and publishes Forum magazine.

Daily Mail and General Trust:

Owner of the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, the Evening Standard and This Is Money. Reported to have financial backing from venture capitalists Cinven but playing down tales that the Berry family, which once owned and edited the Telegraph, may be involved.

3i: FTSE 100 venture capitalist which includes former Mirror chief executive David Montgomery as a media adviser and is also linked with Apax, another private equity firm which employs ex-Daily Telegraph commercial director Stephen Grabiner among its partners.

Axel Springer: German publishing monolith of Bild and Die Welt which will not comment on market speculation but could meet the £600m asking price.

Candover: Venture capitalists, as yet not linked to other players.

Gannett: American publisher of US Today and one of the top three local newspaper owners in the UK.