Does Sprint have a Nextel nibble?

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, is reporting that Sprint Nextel has received interest in its Nextel business from Latin American carrier NII Holdings Inc. and several private-equity firms.

But this is far from a done deal. Sprint has been exploring a sale of Nextel but also wants to unload a large amount of debt on the buyer. Sources told the Journal that the company has talked with other prospective buyers in recent months and is expecting a round of bids in the coming days.

The report noted that any deal would likely have a value of $5.4 billion. Sprint's 2005 acquisition of Nextel was originally valued at $35 billion.