Streaming service DAZN is reportedly on the verge of concluding a deal to buy BT Sport.
Earlier this year BT confirmed that it had begun sounding out interested parties over investment into its BT Sport wing - either restructuring it as a joint venture or selling it off outright.
DAZN - owned by billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik - has been steadily growing its portfolio of sport rights over the last year or two and earlier this year stunned Sky Italia by poaching the domestic rights to Serie A football.
The outfit has also been keen to enter the market for Premier League games in the UK, although with the rights already assigned to Sky, BT Sport and Amazon for several years to come, an acquisition of BT Sport looks like their best shot of adding the league in the near future.
According to the Financial Times, that ambition could be realised within a matter of weeks as DAZN is now the "frontrunner" to take over BT Sport's portfolio of broadcasting rights and channels.
Following the news BT's share price has risen 5.3p to 160.55p.
Both BT and DAZN have refused to comment on the status of their negotiations.
Neil Wilkes
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