The scramble to buy a controlling interest in Everton will this week see at least four major consortia making bids, with confirmed interest coming from London, the Middle East and California.

Although reports that the former chairman Peter Johnson had agreed to sell his 68 per cent of shares to the New York-based venture capital company EM Warburg were inaccurate - it is thought they were reluctant to meet the asking price of £34 million - it is conceivable that he will strike a deal with someone before the end of the month.

Ever since Johnson announced he wish to sever his ties with Everton, almost 12 months ago, the front-runner in terms of a successor has been the club's vice-chairman and theatre impresario, Bill Kenwright.

He is known to have made a verbal offer of £20 million, which was not accepted.

He has so far declined to lodge a formal, written offer because if it were to be rejected, he would, under company law, be ruled out of the bidding process for the next 12 months.