Delta Two, the Qatari-backed consortium that has launched a £10.4bn takeover bid for Sainsbury’s, is this week set to resume efforts to win over sceptical members of the Sainsbury family. Independent on Sunday. The Times. Financial Times. The Independent

Lords Sainsbury of Preston Candover and Sainsbury of Turville, who control about 14.5% of shares in the supermarket, are expected to meet again with Delta Two in the next few days.

The pair, who rejected the CVC bid, own 14.5 per cent of the company between them. Delta, which owns 25%, needs the support of 75% of the shareholder base to close the deal.

Not only do they view Delta’s 600p-a-share offer as too low, they are also concerned that it is focused on achieving a short-term uplift in value by splitting the operating company from the £8.6bn property side.

They are understood to be opposed in principle to any highly leveraged offer that involves breaking the company up – which they believe would jeopardise its long-term stability.

It emerged at the weekend that David Mellor, the former Conservative cabinet minister, is advising the Qatari government.

Mellor is one of two executive directors for Three Delta, the consultancy group set up by former banker Paul Taylor, which advises the Qatari government's Delta investment fund. Also on the board are Sir Christopher Howes, a former chief executive of the Crown Estate, and Nick Land, former chairman of Ernst & Young.

Delta is believed to be lining up Tony Campbell, who played a key part in resurrecting the fortunes of ASDA in the 1990s, as a possible chairman if its bid succeeds.