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Twitter is reportedly holding early-stage talks with Facebook and Google executives, over the prospect of them acquiring the microblogging service, valuing it as high as $10bn (€7.3bn) according to a report.

Sources at both Facebook and Google have told The Wall Street Journal that low level talks between the two companies and Twitter have taken place over recent months and this could result in the mico-blogging company being acquired even though its founders have always said they would never sell the service.

The talks are not believed to have gone far yet, but according to the report, the talks have led to Twitter being valued at $10bn, only two months on from the site being valued at $3.4bn after its last round of investment.

Evan Williams, Twitter’s co-founder, and Dick Costolo, the company’s chief executive, have repeatedly said the site it not for sale. However despite the introduction of its advertising product and promoted tools in 2010, the site is thought to have made a loss last year, despite revenues of $45m.

Analysts think that Twitter could at least be seeking to form partnerships with either Facebook or Google to spread its influence beyond its own network. It is also believed that this is not the first time that both sites have showed interest in buying Twitter – with previous acquisition rumours emerging in 2009.

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