The high stakes negotiator, and financial titan Carl Icahn has put forth his terms for finally closing the deal with jilted suitor Microsoft, by suggesting publically that Yahoo dangle a $49.5 billion, or $34.375 per share, price tag as a big juicy carrot to tempt Steve Ballmer back to the negotiating table. Icahn wants to put pen to paper and have the takeover sealed by the time Yahoo has it annual shareholder's meeting, which has already been delayed twice, but is now set for August 1st.

Icahn has also stated that Yahoo should drop it's 'poison pill' package offered to Yahoo employees which will amount to $2.4 billion in costs. Yang is once again in a bit of a tight spot over this deal, or no deal situation, but this could allow him to come back to the bargaining table and save face, though he has been adamant about giving up the employee compensation package and this could still potentially be the deal breaker.

Icahn has threatened to upset the cart and takeover the board with a proxy fight to push the deal through and will likely replace Yahoo's CEO and co-founder Jerry Yang if the deal is not closed.

An extra $2 billion over and above Microsoft's 'final offer' might be worth it to Yang if he can keep the proposed employee package, which is what I think will happen. Microsoft get what they want, Carl Icahn and most of the Yahoo shareholder's get what they want, and Jerry, while not shouting a 'whoopie,' or even a muted 'yahoo' can brush off his chaps, get back on his horse and ride off into the sunset.

It's certainly been a wild ride.