The Daily and Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator magazine are set to be put up for sale after talks between their owners and lenders collapsed.
It came after the Barclay family, the billionaire owners of the Telegraph Media Group, denied that the business could face administration.
It is understood that Lloyds Banking Group has appointed corporate finance advisory firm AlixPartners as official receivers for Press Acquisitions, the company controlled by the Barclays which owns the publications.
The lender is seeking a sale of the Telegraph and other titles in a bid to recover debts owed by the network of holding companies.
Industry analysts have predicted the titles could be worth between £500 million and £600 million.
The family said that “speculation about the business entering administration is unfounded and irresponsible” and insisted that the loans do not in any way affect the Telegraph Media Group
