The investment bank - which is advising the consortium - may use its own private equity funds to provide a smaller part of the estimated£3 billion equity cheque.
There is also speculation that Texas Pacific Group, the US private equity group, might team up with the CVC-led consortium, rather than the previously reported Cinven.
Investors, led by a member of Qatar's royal family, also took options on a stake of about 1 per cent in Sainsbury's on Friday, it emerged yesterday.
Global asset manager UBS sold 15 million shares in Sainsbury's today and there is speculation US-based value investor Brandes Investment Partners has sold another wedge of its shares too. The US investor sold 1.2 per cent of Sainsbury's shares last week, taking advantage of the rise in the grocer's share price.
Goldman Sachs would not comment on market speculation.
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