CURRENT chairman Jeff Mostyn has confirmed his interest in taking Cherries out of administration - and could join forces with his rival bidder.
Administrator Gerald Krasner has given the two parties until noon today to firm up their interest by lodging a non-refundable £100,000 deposit.
However, the deadline may have to be extended to allow Mostyn to continue talks with representatives of the second consortium.
Although Mostyn and Steve Sly were always thought to be keen to re-purchase the club, their interest only became official over the weekend.
The identity of the main investor in the second consortium is still unknown, although the AFC Bournemouth supporters' trust is understood to have an involvement.
News of a possible alliance is the latest twist in an ongoing takeover battle, which has been fraught with problems since the club entered administration nearly three months ago.
Mostyn told the Daily Echo: "I am really determined to go forward. I will be talking to the administrator to see where we are going.
"I have also had talks with the other people and maybe something could come out of a combination of the two.
"Monday's deadline is probably a little too soon for that to happen but somebody has got to get a bid in that is acceptable to the administrator, otherwise there won't be a football club."
Mostyn has already experienced his fair share of setbacks in his attempts to regain control of the club, with a consortium involving him, Sly and Marc Jackson collapsing due to "contractual reasons" last month.
He was also expected to join forces with EU-UK, although their bid was withdrawn after they had been unable to agree extension terms with Krasner to carry out further due diligence.
Speaking immediately after Cherries' 1-0 win over Crewe on Saturday, Mostyn said: "My emotions could not be more extreme. I am absolutely committed to the football club and the players are mirroring my own passions.
"But I don't know from one minute to the next whether I'm in with a chance of taking the club forward and whether I've got an opportunity of my bid being successful."
Mostyn added: "I share the players' passions and it makes me even more determined to be part of the football club going forward.
"But then I get setbacks off the field with people who are committing themselves to me not fulfilling their promises and leaving me exposed. I do not want to give up what I consider to be my football club."
