A year ago this month Dubai International Capital were stunned by the last-minute failure of their bid to take control of the club but it is believed they are now set to try to buy the American's 50% stake in Anfield.

And DIC made no attempt to play down speculation on Thursday when a spokesman said: "We do not comment on such things, we have nothing to say on this."

But as the turmoil over the ownership of Liverpool by Hicks and fellow American George Gillett continues it has become clear DIC have never given up hope of owning the club, with lifelong fan and founder and chairman of DIC Sameer al-Ansari believed to be at the forefront of new moves.

It is the 44-year-old Loughborough University-educated financier who was the prime mover in last January's failed bid for the club, working on behalf of the real power behind DIC Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum.

A year ago then-chairman David Moores changed his mind at the last minute with DIC expecting to clinch their deal, and opted instead to sell to the Americans.

A board meeting at a London Docklands hotel hours before last January's match at West Ham signalled the change of heart.

But Al-Ansari has maintained close links with Liverpool, and in particular chief executive Rick Parry, and still attends matches regularly with his family.

And it is understood he has persuaded Sheikh Mohammed to become involved in a second bid.

Al-Ansari has also recently been linked with Sir Richard Branson's move to take over Northern Rock.

His Liverpool devotion was underlined recently when he said: "It took me two weeks to get over that (the failed bid), but it didn't dent my passion, I still go to every match when I am here."

The Liverpool Echo, in a report today, maintain an offer for Hicks' shares is being prepared and may even have been agreed in principle.

It was Gillett who brought Hicks on board last year when he did not have enough money to mount a solo bid for the club. Exactly where it would leave Gillett if DIC did buy into the club is open to doubt.

But the two Americans have discovered they have lost the backing of the club's supporters in recent weeks, compounded by the shocked outcry following Hicks' confirmation the pair had met Jurgen Klinsmann and offered him boss Rafael Benitez's job.

Hicks and Gillett have to reach an agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland within six weeks to refinance the loan they took out to buy the club in the first place.

And there is major opposition from within the Liverpool board, believed to come from Moores and Parry, to any move that will see the club take on some of the debt from the loan.

Hicks could accept the bid and get out now with a profit, or continue with the refinancing plans, believed to be a matter of days from completion.

But with Liverpool fans preparing further demonstrations against the Americans at Monday's home match with Aston Villa, Hicks and Gillett could decide that their problems will only escalate if they continue to control the club from their bases in Dallas and Montreal.

However, the fact is that plans for the new stadium have still to be agreed a year after the takeover and funds to allow Benitez to compete with Manchester United and Chelsea have not been made available.

Hicks recently said he did not want to sell his shares but the reaction to his and Gillett's tenure this week from the fans could well see a change of heart.

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However, a spokesman for Hicks dismissed the reports.

"Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett remain fully committed to the club," the spokesman told PA Sport.

"Any suggestion that Messrs Hicks and Gillett are contemplating a sale of the club or any portion thereof to DIC or anyone else is categorically untrue."