DIC has completed due diligence and wants to make its formal bid, via the Stock Exchange, for Liverpool chairman and owner David Moores' 51.6% majority shareholding early next week.
It believes Moores was in favour of a bid which would have given him £80m at £4,500 a share.
Gillett's original offer had been rejected before Christmas, but last week he submitted a new offer by letter to Moores which upped the bid to give Moores £88m for his holding.