AOL (AOL) has culled a group of seven initial bidders for its ICQ instant messaging unit down to four “serious” ones, according to AllThingsD, which says the price for the business is “hovering just under $200 million.”

A buyer could come from outside the U.S., the story reports. The company has a strong presence in Germany, Russia, Eastern Europe and Israel.

AOL has acquired ICQ for $287 million in 1998.