The word in Los Angeles is that Carlyle Group is on the verge of signing a deal to buy TCW [profile]. Fundsters told MFWire that they expect Societe Generale to sign a deal this week, and one source said they'll announce the sale tomorrow.

Spokesmen for Carlyle and TCW both declined to comment for this story. MFWire could not immediately reach a SocGen spokesperson based in New York City.

Earlier this month Reuters reported that two other private equity firms had dropped out of the bidding. Carlyle is the only publicly-mentioned bidder remaining. On Friday, the wire service reported that SocGen's unions approved the TCW sale. Yet the report added that neither the price and the winning bidder were revealed at the meeting.

One insider told MFWire that the price is $700 million, all in Carlyle stock. That nearly matches the $350-million-for-51-percent pricing then-chief investment officer Jeff Gundlach offered SocGen back in September 2009, according to Gundlach's testimony in court last year. He made that offer prior to TCW's purchase of rival MetWest, announced in December 2009. 

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