ENGLISH billionaire Marwan Koukash is ready to buy the Titans as the Salford City saviour ramps up plans to achieve his dream of owning a club in the NRL.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Koukash has hired a consortium of Australian-based business colleagues to perform due diligence on taking a majority stake in the Titans.

Two NRL-controlled clubs will square off at Cbus Super Stadium when the Titans host the Knights, who were rescued by the governing body following Nathan Tinkler’s ownership crisis last season.

The NRL is determined to stabilise the Titans before considering private investment, but for the first time Koukash has confirmed he is waiting in the wings to buy the Coast’s licence.

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The 56-year-old is one of the UK’s great self-made success stories, an eccentric Palestinian refugee who is one of world sport’s richest men with an estimated wealth of $3 billion.

Speaking from the UK, where he is currently hosting Australian coach Tim Sheens, a consultant to Salford City, Koukash outlined his plan to bankroll a Titans revival.

As part of his investment proposal, Koukash would make the Titans a cutting-edge club, staging matches in Dubai and Las Vegas to give the Coast a global footprint.

“You can say I have stepped things up — I have decided investing in an NRL club such as the Titans is the right way,” he said.

“We’ll see what develops over the next few months, but I have asked some people in Australia to look into for me.

“I won’t say how much money I am prepared to spend, I will disclose that to the NRL.

“But I am serious and this opportunity (to buy the Titans) works for me because I would only ever look at a club if I had the majority share.

“If the NRL and the Titans are looking for a majority shareholder, that will suit me just fine.”

Koukash, the biggest owner of racehorses in Britain, held talks last year with property tycoon Phil Murphy about buying out his 22 per cent shareholding in the Broncos.

The pair had dialogue for three months, but Koukash’s interest dwindled when it became apparent the Broncos’ majority owner, News Limited, publisher of The Sunday Mail, would not sell its 68pc share.

media_camera Koukash at the Melbourne Cup in 2013.

Now Koukash has his heart set on the Titans. Ideally, he will purchase the club within 12 months and says the NRL’s decision to reclaim the Titans’ licence last month has given him certainty over the Coast’s future.

Koukash previously called for the Titans to be moved to Brisbane, but says he would keep the club on the Coast while making strategic decisions about the location of nominated home games.

“The NRL taking over has given me more confidence in the Titans,” he said. “I would love to be involved in the NRL, I am desperate to be involved in it, but I need to be as right for the club as the club needs to be right for me.

“I can appreciate the NRL wants to fix the Titans, but once they are ready to hand over the licence, I will express my interest in buying them.

“The NRL’s strategy is to keep the Titans on the Gold Coast, which is fine. I would play the majority of games on the Gold Coast but take a couple of games on the road to help the club financially.

“The stadium deal (at Robina) is expensive and that would need to be looked at.

“We could play the Warriors, for example, in New Zealand and I would consider playing either an exhibition or premiership game in places like Dubai and Las Vegas.

“The Titans need to grow their brand and rugby league needs exposure outside current geographical areas.

“I am genuinely in buying a majority share and if the NRL wants to talk, I will talk to them.”

Titans co-owner Darryl Kelly, who pumped $5 million into the former entity, is currently in talks with the NRL, but has no interest in a majority share. He welcomed additional investment.

“I hope there are some other investors out there,” Kelly said.

“I’m in talks with the NRL and I have a figure in mind. We still have some work to do, hopefully someone else will come on board eventually.”

An NRL spokesman indicated the governing body would not stand in the way of Koukash when they are ready to offload the Titans licence.

“The NRL’s first priority is to stabilise the Titans and rebuild the club so it has a secure financial future,” he said.

“At an appropriate time, the NRL will welcome approaches from private investors interested in taking over the running of the club.”