Microsoft is negotiating the acquisition of Yahoo, a move that will make it the dominant presence over the Internet and place it extremely close to rival Google. The Mountain View-based company has recently taken over DoubleClick with an estimated $3.1 billion, an offer that Microsoft had met and was willing to exceed, but just couldn't make up for the Google brand. As a direct consequence Microsoft was not shy about inferring monopoly over the acquisition.

And in the light of those events, the Yahoo acquisition, rumors have surfaced stronger than ever. According to a report from the New York Post Microsoft has intensified its pressure on Yahoo to begin formal negotiations that would result in a deal.

Approached by representatives from the press, a member of Yahoo London neither confirmed not denied rumors that Microsoft is getting ready to acquire the company. Still, the news was cataloged as purely speculative in nature. Microsoft has declined to comment altogether on the issue at hand.

If Microsoft is indeed looking to finalize negotiations and acquire Yahoo, analysts estimate that the Redmond Company could end up paying in excess of $50 billion. But it will be all worth it, as Microsoft would control the lion's share of eyeballs on the Internet while simultaneously make it just behind Google in the advertising arena.

Even if Microsoft would end up paying $50 billion for Yahoo, the Redmond Company will benefit from an increased Internet audience, the largest pool of instant messaging users in the world and will have access to all the Yahoo services for integration with its own businesses.