Google considers Yahoo bid

US internet giant Google is considering a bid for rival Yahoo!.

According to reports Google bosses have talked to at least two private equity firms to consider how the deal would be financed.

Discussions are thought to be at an early stage, with no formal proposal made yet.

Yahoo! has received interest from other companies since the sacking last month of chief executive Carol Bartz, less than three years after she was brought in to help turn around the struggling internet firm.