MIRROR Group Newspapers is having discussions with the owners of the weekly sports newspaper, the Title, which could ultimately lead to MGN taking a substantial minority stake.

While sources close to the Title have described suggestions of additional investment from existing shareholders and outside investors as premature, they added that the current links between MGN and the Title could be strengthened by a substantial investment by MGN.

MGN and the Title have recently concluded an agreement under which the Irish newspaper will provide three pages of sports coverage every day for the Irish edition of the Daily Mirror.