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The former chairman and chief executive of Blacks Leisure is plotting a return to the troubled outdoor and camping chain with an injection of new capital.
Simon Bentley ran the company for 12 years up until 2002 when he had a near-fatal ski-ing accident. He is currently acting chairman of Mike Ashley's Sports Direct.
Blacks is desperately restructuring, cutting jobs and closing stores as it tries to avoid bankruptcy.
Bentley is reported to be talking to potential partners and backers including the retail turnaround specialists Gordon Brothers.
A straightforward takeover is unlikely and industry experts said that it is more likely Bentley would do a deal which saw Blacks go through a company voluntary arrangement and even a debt-for-equity swap with its bankers.
Any deal is likely to be even more complicated because a 29% stake in Blacks is in the hands of the administrators of the failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing, but which Ashley claims is his.
Blacks management is working with Lloyds bank on a rescue and turnaround plan of its own.
