Google talking about possible Yahoo! bid

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Internet giant Google is talking with private equity firms to consider a purchase of rival Yahoo!, a source told The Wall Street Journal.

Google could just be stirring the water to make it more difficult for Microsoft Corp. to present Yahoo! with a bid, one analyst said.

Both companies have taken a run at purchasing Yahoo! in the past and both have failed.

U.S. antitrust regulators stopped a Google bid previously and Yahoo! in 2008 turned down an offer from Microsoft.

After it was turned down, Microsoft, which also is said to be revisiting the possibility of buying Yahoo!, signed a 10-year advertising partnership with Yahoo!

Yahoo! is considered prized Internet real estate, as it generates 700 million unique visitors per month. It also has close relationships with firms like ABC News that provide it with news content. Google, the Journal said, is interested in closer connections to content providers.