Scotsman owner Johnston Press is in talks to buy the i newspaper for £24m, the firm has said.

JP confirmed it is in "late stage" talks to buy the national, which sells around 275,000 copies daily.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh-based firm is consulting staff on plans to cut around 30 more jobs in Scotland.

JP plans to shed jobs at the Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and Edinburgh Evening News, it is understood.

In separate recent reports there has been speculation Johnston Press is offering the Scotsman for sale for offers in the region of £10m. The firm has refused to respond to the claims.

However, the publisher told staff in an email last month it had identified 59 “sub-core” titles - the lowest of four rankings JP uses to classify its newspapers - including the Scotland on Sunday and 15 other Scottish local titles.

But the firm said the acquisition of the i from Independent owner Evgeny Lebedev would create the UK's fourth largest print publisher.

In a statement, JP said: "There can be no certainty that the discussions between [Johnston Press] and Independent Print Limited will lead to any definitive agreement.

"Completion of the acquisition would be subject to the approval of the shareholders of [Johnston Press]."

Laura Davison, NUJ national organiser, said:

“The announcement and ensuing speculation is creating a huge amount of uncertainty. Johnston Press and the Lebedevs are just treating staff as pawns in a game played behind closed doors.

"They should step up and give immediate guarantees on jobs, terms; explain what this deal means and what JP is actually buying.

"The closure of the Independent print titles would be a disaster not only for those working on the newspapers but the whole UK media landscape.

"The i's content comes from Independent journalists and is successful as part of the whole because of its experienced journalists who have stuck with the titles through thick and thin. How can you separate that out? "

"JP staff are currently facing major job cuts and freezes. There will be anger about how the company squares their failure to invest locally with this announcement. Their record doesn’t bode well for the future of the i."

Sales of the i, which launched in October 2010 as the first new daily newspaper in 25 years, outstrip those of both the Independent and the Independent on Sunday. Concerns have been raised over the future of the i's sister papers as a result of its potential sale.