Santander eyes Citi's Mexico retail ops; BPER enters exclusive talks for Carige

S&P Global Market Intelligence presents In Play Today, a periodic summary of potential deal activity in the financial sectors of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This summary, which is displayed according to the location of a target's headquarters, is based on information obtained by S&P Global Market Intelligence and may not be inclusive of all potential deal activity.

Europe

* Spain's Banco Santander SA was named as one of the bidders for the consumer, small business and middle-market banking operations of Citigroup Inc.'s Mexico-based unit Grupo Financiero Citibanamex SA de CV, according to several reports, including those of Bloomberg and Reuters. Mexico's Grupo Financiero Inbursa SAB de CV and retail and financial services conglomerate Grupo Elektra SAB de CV are the other potential buyers of the businesses. Citi could see a potential full-sale valuation of up to $15 billion for the Mexican assets.

* Italy's depositor protection fund FITD will engage in negotiations with BPER Banca SpA for the potential sale of Banca Carige SpA - Cassa di Risparmio di Genova e Imperia, following BPER's new nonbinding offer to counter another bid put forward by the Italian unit of France's Crédit Agricole SA.

* Italian lender UniCredit SpA is considering a potential takeover of PJSC Bank Otkritie Financial Corp. and was expected to begin due diligence on the bailed-out Russian lender as soon as the week of Jan. 10, Bloomberg News reported, citing sources.

* PJSC Sovcombank was named as a potential buyer of Onexim Group's Russian unit, Commercial Bank Renaissance Credit LLC, Kommersant reported. Onexim is looking to sell the bank along with its insurance unit, Soglasie, although the final structure of the deal is not yet certain.

Middle East

* Capital Bank of Jordan submitted a binding offer to acquire 100% of the issued share capital of Société Générale de Banque - Jordanie, subject to regulatory, management and corporate approvals.