Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre has poached Mail on Sunday deputy editor Gerard Greaves to be his new number two.
The move comes as Jon Steafel leaves his role as deputy editor after 11 years in the job to become group managing editor and publisher of the paper's tablet edition Mail Plus.
Greaves has been deputy editor of the Mail on Sunday since Geordie Greig joined as editor in 2012.
One well placed source speculated that the move could clear the way for Sarah Sands to join Greig at the Mail on Sunday. Evgeny Lebedev is rumoured to be pondering moving former Independent editor Amol Rajan over to edit the Standard.
Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre, 67, is also editor-in-chief of the Mail on Sunday, Metro and Mail Online.
In an announcement to staff Dacre said: "Jon Steafel recently approached me to say that, after ten years as deputy editor, he wanted a change and was looking for new challenges within the company.
“I am sure you will all join me in thanking Jon for his brilliant and selfless work as deputy and will support him as he takes on his considerable new responsibilities.”
Mail Plus launched four years ago and according to ABC it attracts an average of 26,000 readers per day.
Greaves will be senior deputy editor. Associate editors Ted Verity and Paul Carter have been promoted to deputy editor.
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