City giants Linklaters and Slaughter and May have been thrust into the multi-billion pound battle to acquire Safeway after being called in by Sainsbury’s and Wal-Mart respectively on potential bids for the supermarket giant.

Both firms received instructions last Thursday (9 January) to begin working on possible offers for the supermarket chain following WM Morrison’s surprise £2.9bn bid for Safeway, which was announced on the same day.