Nine buy-out firms have expressed an interest in Autogrill, the listed Italian motorway restaurant chain with a market capitalisation of €3bn ($3.7bn) which the Benetton family put up for sale last month.

Sources close to the deal, which is expected to lead to one of the biggest leveraged debt financings this year, said the nine firms had grouped together in four consortia. They are expected to make formal bids after Goldman Sachs, which is advising the Benettons, issues an information memorandum on Autogrill before the end of this month.