Several suitors have ABN Amro in their sights

The central bank has to approve any takeover deal, and its view is seen as a fillip for the UK's Barclays bank which is in exclusive talks with ABN.

Talks between the two were recently extended until Friday, if no deal is agreed ABN will meet other suitors.

While Barclays wants to merge with ABN, a rival consortium led by RBS hopes to split the Dutch bank up.

Report suggest the consortium - which includes Fortis and Spain's Santander bank - could pay as much as 40 euros a share ($54.34; �27) for the Dutch firm.

Such an offer is believed to be significantly higher than the offer on the table from Barclays.

While no details have been revealed, it is thought that Barclays is only willing to go as high as 35 euros ($47; �24) a share.

The Dutch central bank said: "From a prudential point of view, a bid by the consortium would be very risky and complicated, in the execution and implementation of a transaction."