Pssst, Buddy… Wanna Buy Sun Microsystems?

Intel CEO Paul Otellini has confirmed what “people familiar with the matter” and industry observers have been saying for months now. Sun (JAVA) is eager to find a buyer and has offered itself for sale to IBM (IBM) and pretty much anyone else who might have the cash to acquire it. “I can tell you that Sun was shopped around the Valley and around the world in the last few months,” Otellini told Intel (INTC) employees during a recent meeting, according to an SEC filing. “A lot of companies got calls or visits on buying some or all the assets of the company. It looks like IBM is in the hunt now. And at a hundred and some odd percent premium, I suspect they’ll get it….I think IBM is trying to consolidate architectures. IBM has the strongest Java license in the industry. By picking up Sun–which is the creator of Java–they really consolidate their position not just in Linux, but also in Java….Is it good or bad for us? I don’t know. I’d rather have Sun be independent, I guess.”

Sadly for Otellini, that’s not likely to be the case. Sources close to the company tell Bloomberg that IBM is knee-deep in talks to acquire Sun and that a deal may be announced as soon as next week.