Barclays, the UK banking group circling ABN Amro, has drafted in advisers at Lazard and Deutsche Bank in an effort to wrestle a potential €60 billion (£41 billion) deal with the Netherlands bank.

It is understood that Barclays is keen to negotiate exclusivity in its talks with ABN Amro, which has also attracted the attentions of other potential predators.

It is thought that ING, ABN Amro's Dutch counterpart, has dropped out of the bidding, although French banks such as BNP Paribas and Spanish suitors such as BBVA are still thought to be keen to make a deal happen.

But ABN, which has come under pressure from hedge funds including The Children's Investment Fund, is thought to be keen to remain independent and to be resisting the urge to seal an immediate deal. TCI has been pushing for ABN to either break itself up or put itself up for sale.

It is understood that Barclays wants to move swiftly and hopes to update the stock market about its intentions before the end of the day or ahead of the market opening tomorrow morning.

Barclays declined to comment beyond a terse two-line statement this morning. Both Lazard and Deutsche Bank declined to comment. ABN Amro did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

But the arrival of fresh bankers on the scene came as analysts speculated that Barclays is prepared to pay up to €31.30 a share to buy ABN Amro in a 15 per cent premium deal that values the Netherlands bank at just short of €60 billion.

A combination would create Europe's second largest bank with a market capitalisation of £86 billion.

Shares in ABN, traded on the Euronext exchange, hit a record high, up nearly 10 per cent on speculation a deal might be in the offing. Barclays shares opened 10p higher but then lost some of their gains to trade 5p to 10p lower towards the end of the trading session.

Barclays said it would "clarify the position" before the market opens, noting weekend speculation about its interest in bidding for ABN Amro.

Jean-Pierre Lambert, analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the investment banking research firm, said his estimate about a price was based on Barclays being able to institute cost savings of about 9 per cent of ABN's cost base. If the UK-based bank was prepared to sell off parts of ABN, which Mr Lambert said was "unlikely", then Barclays could increase its offer, he said.

KBW reckons that Barclays' interest in ABN Amro would most likely be as a "white knight" bidder. The Dutch bank is currently fighting off break-up demands from hedge funds including The Children's Investment Fund. It is likely to accelerate its own internal resuscitation plan in the wake of five demands, including for a potential full sale.

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