League: Eric Watson confirms talks over Warriors sale

New Zealand Warriors owner Eric Watson has confirmed that he is in conversations with potential buyers to sell the club.

As first revealed by the Herald, Auckland businessman Paul Davys is set to take control of the NRL club, with Davys currently in negotiations with Watson.

Watson confirmed that talks are ongoing.

"While I'm often approached about selling the club I will confirm that I'm in conversation with a few different parties about the Warriors, but I'm in no rush and I'm keen to do what's best for the club," Watson said in a statement.

"Any discussions are private and I won't be commenting publicly about the conversations other than saying right now there is no deal."

Davys has told the Herald that he is close to signing off on the move.

"We are in a negotiating process at the moment," said Davys. "Eric recognises that the Warriors need someone to drive that club and he knows his current situation, living overseas, he can't do that.

"I have a huge passion for rugby league and see the ownership of the Warriors as both a privilege and a duty of care to the game in New Zealand. The Warriors is not just a business, it's the heart and soul of rugby league in this country and when the Warriors have done well in the past the rugby league community has a spring in their step.

"So I made an approach to Eric to buy the Warriors.

"We are trying to iron out some finer details and I am hopeful those details will be ironed out in the near future.

"There hasn't been an agreement reached but we are not far away from seeing eye to eye.

"It has been a week of Eric and I discussing things and I am hopeful we could announce something within a week."