A private-equity consortium put together by former Virgin Mobile UK and Orange UK boss Tom Alexander is said to be mulling a takeover of UK market-leader Everything Everywhere, according to sources at the Financial Times.

Alexander, who briefly led the firm following the merger between T-Mobile UK and Orange UK, is understood to have sounded out interest about a sale with Everything Everywhere’s major shareholders, Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom. Both are thought to be keen on a sale.

Alexander has reportedly held discussions with private-equity groups such as Apax and KKR to support a possible EUR8 billion deal.

But sources say that discussions are at an early stage and that a deal of this size could take a long time to structure. One added that there was no certainly that he would be successful in raising sufficient capital given the difficult market conditions.

The Financial Times said such a move would mark an “audacious” return to the telecoms sector by Alexander. He left Everything Everywhere last summer, citing a desire to have time off.