Commerzbank will hold a first round of talks with UniCredit on Friday as the Italian lender presses for a possible tie-up. Commerzbank has, like some other banks, had a rocky history with big mergers and acquisitions over the years.

The government said it won’t offload any additional shares in the bank following the sale to UniCredit for €702 million. The move marks an U-turn for the government.

Commerzbank is setting itself higher profitability targets in its battle with the Italian bank UniCredit, which is pursuing a growing stake in the German lender. Commerzbank on Thursday announced plans to increase the return on equity for investors by more than 12% by 2027,