Chinese eye Goldman Sachs' London headquarters

Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau's Chinese Estates is the favourite to buy the River Court home of investment banking giant Goldman Sachs in Fleet Street, the Evening Standard understands.

The 425,000 sq ft office block has been on the market since the summer with a £300 million asking price.

Gresham Down is acting on behalf of the sellers, a consortium of Irish investors who bought the building nearly a decade ago.

Goldman, which will continue to be based in the building, is understood to pay around £15 million a year in rent.

Gresham Down partner Stephen Down refused to comment on the Chinese interest but said it had received "a number of approaches" for River Court. A final decision could be made as soon as next week.

Goldman's other Fleet Street base, Peterborough Court, could also be on the market early next year.

The building — the former home of the Daily Telegraph — is in the hands of receivers Jones Lang Lasalle after its owner, Canadian property company Jesta Capital, defaulted on loans in September.

Jesta paid £355 million for the 370,000 sq ft building in 2007.