Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner appears to be close to completing the sale of the Cleveland Browns for a price tag in excess of $1 billion.
It has been reported that American businessman Jimmy Haslam has agreed to buy the Browns in a two-part deal costing $700 million, then a further $300 million in the second phase of the purchase, says the Birmingham Mail.
Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner recently insisted that Lerner remained committed to Villa despite his decision to sell the NFL franchise.