According to reports in the press, pressure is mounting because Sainsbury's chairman Philip Hampton is reluctant to extent the deadline for due diligence.
The consortium includes CVC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), Blackstone and Texas Pacific Group.
The consortium has just 10 days to table a formal offer before the April 13 put up or shut up deadline set by the Takeover Panel.
It is thought that tensions are rising between KKR and the other members of the consortium because KKR is also bidding for Alliance Boots. It is thought likely that the private equity giant could either withdraw or be ejected from the group.
The process of tabling an offer for the supermarket chain has been held up by discussions with trustees over how to deal with the pension deficit. The deficit is understood to be well in excess of the£477 million reported last October when the supermarket chain made a cash injection into the scheme.
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