The controversial Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson is understood to be in negotiations about leaving the broadsheet as the newspaper’s new owner makes significant newsroom cuts.

Sources told the Guardian that Pearson – firmly on the right of the Telegraph’s roster – is preparing to announce her exit imminently and is crafting a statement about her future plans.

The news comes after the German media company Axel Springer , which completed a £575m takeover in June, warned that as many as 100 journalists’ roles were at risk of redundancy as it transitioned into being “a global, AI-powered premium media and intelligence business”.

One insider said the Brexit-backing columnist had been “in some sort of negotiation to make an elegant departure” after discussions with management about her future at the title.

But they said rumours of her expected exit had been circulating within the newsroom for a number of days, and were not a surprise after a column she wrote in September had raised some eyebrows…