US cable company Liberty Global is expected to make a bid for Virgin Media over coming days according to the FT, in a move which could see old rivalries renewed with the Murdoch empire, with Sky and Liberty Global competing for the UK market share.

Liberty Global’s chairman John Malone and Rupert Murdoch have been past rivals with Malone, with the chairman having gained an unwelcome influence in News Corporation in the past.

Virgin Media saw its shares jump 14 percent in the last quarter with market capitalisation now valued at $10.4 billion.