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F1 giants Red Bull are poised to take over Championship side Leeds United, writes Alan Nixon in the Sunday People.

Arab owners GFH Capital have been trying to sell a chunk of the club and are close to a deal with a local group willing to put in around £7million.

But People Sport can reveal that mega-rich Red Bull are interested in buying United outright.

GFH would ideally prefer to stay in control, hoping that promotion to the Premier League will eventually give them a return on their outlay.

But Red Bull, who have dominated Formula One thanks to the exploits of world champion Sebastian Vettel, want full control – and have been told that £40m is the asking price.

The identity of the local group looking for just a slice of the club has not yet been disclosed, but a deal is near completion according to inside sources – unless of course Red Bull scupper it.

A Leeds spokesman said: "The two parties have signed an agreement for the purchase of shares, with GFH retaining a significant stake.

"The consortium includes a number of high-profile businessmen and does not include any previous owners or players of the club."