Manchester United was the subject of renewed takeover speculation yesterday when the creator of TV's Big Brother became the latest wealthy individual to increase his stake in the club.

John de Mol, the Dutch media mogul, raised his shareholding from 2.9% to 3.5%, according to a statement issued by the club after the stock market had closed.

There had been rumours earlier in the City that mystery investors were poised to make a full-blown offer.

Last month the most likely candidates to bid - Irish horse racing tycoons JP McManus and John Magnier - increased their stake to 10.37%. This made them the club's biggest shareholders, surpassing BSkyB's 9.9%.

The two men are friends of United manager Sir Alex Fer guson and have not ruled out a bid.

Club directors are uneasy at the prospect of an unsolicited offer and last weekend strengthened their defence against a hostile approach by hiring Cazenove, the blue-blooded stockbroker.

Mr de Mol is understood to have met with United chief executive Peter Kenyon following last month's financial results presentation, telling him he thought the club was undervalued and would be buying more shares.

Other investors who sense an opportunity to make money out of the Premier League leaders include Dermot Desmond, an associate of Mr Magnier and Mr McManus, and Malcolm Glazer, who owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an American football team. Mr Glazer owns about 2.9% of United, while Mr Desmond has about 1%.

Guardian Unlimited ' Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001

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