By Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro and Amy-Jo Crowley

LONDON (Reuters) – British specialist lender Shawbrook made a proposal for rival Co-op Financial institution and is weighing a contemporary bid for embattled Metro Financial institution, individuals aware of the matter informed Reuters on Sunday.

Shawbrook, backed by non-public fairness teams BC Companions and Pollen Avenue, tabled an indicative bid for Co-op in current days, stated the individuals, who spoke on situation of anonymity.

Individually, Shawbrook is contemplating a possible new bid for London-listed Metro Financial institution after a number of failed approaches earlier within the yr, the sources stated.

There isn’t any certainty {that a} transaction will materialise, they cautioned.

Shawbrook, Pollen Avenue and Co-op Financial institution declined to remark. BC Companions and Metro Financial institution couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

Metro Financial institution has seen its shares tumble after information emerged that it had employed advisers to shore up its steadiness sheet after failing to realize key capital reduction from banking regulators.

The financial institution has been exploring choices to lift as much as 600 million kilos ($734.28 million) of capital via fairness and debt injections and asset gross sales.

Britain’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is sounding out consumers over the weekend in hopes of discovering an answer for ailing Metro Financial institution earlier than markets open on Monday morning.

For Shawbrook, an acquisition of both Co-op or Metro Financial institution would give it better scale in addition to entry to present deposit accounts, a less expensive supply of funding for its loans than financial savings.

Reuters beforehand reported that Co-op Financial institution’s homeowners had set an early October deadline for suitors.

($1 = 0.8171 kilos)