The struggle to gain control of TMG Holland’s largest newspaper group – and the only one not yet in Belgian hands – has resumed, the Financieele Dagblad said on Monday.

Mediahuis, the Belgian media group which owns Dutch quality paper NRC has locked horns with Talpa, the investment vehicle of Dutch television producer John de Mol, over TMG which is valued currently at about €273m. TMG publishes the Telegraaf, Metro and several regional papers in the Netherlands.

On Sunday Mediahuis raised its bid for TMG to €5.90 per share, up from the €5.25 per share offer it made in December and at the same level as Talpa.

De Mol, who owns 20% of TMG shares, said on Monday he is still in the running to take over TMG. However, Mediahuis has the backing of the Van Puijenbroek family, TMG’s largest shareholder and claims to have the backing of 60% of current TMG shareholders, the FD points out.