Bee Taechaubol’s bid to gain control of AC Milan is in doubt after it has emerged that Silvio Berlusconi is unconvinced with the Thai businessman’s proposals regarding the Rossoneri and that he now favours the Chinese consortium fronted by Richard Lee.

Mr. Bee, whose bid is funded by controversial investment firm Doyen Sport, departed Milan on Monday confident that he would be able to wrap up a deal within four weeks but it now appears that the 42-year-old’s optimism may have been misplaced.

Corriere della Sera reports that Berlusconi does not view Taechaubol’s bid as in the best interests of the long term future of Milan and that he will now put all of his efforts into finding an agreement with the Chinese investors who he believes will be able to provide more secure long-term funding for the club.

Moreover, it is understood that the 78-year-old former Italian prime minister is unhappy with Mr. Bee’s attitude, in particular the presumptuousness with which he asserted he would have control of the club by the end of the month.

It is believed that the Chinese investors have the backing of the government in Beijing and would therefore have far greater financial muscle than that of their Thai rival.