Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis is locked in talks with Lerner, while Neville is close to making his plans public. Lerner is reported to be preparing a £57 million deal to buy out Ellis' 39% majority shareholding.
Lerner has an estimated fortune of £1.4bn and is chairman of the credit card company MBNA. He is also owner of the NFL franchise the Cleveland Browns, the seventh richest in American football. Lifelong Villa fan Neville will renew his bid for the club, even though Ellis is in talks with Lerner.
