Russia's largest bank, OAO Sberbank (SBER.RS) has hired advisers to help it buy a small bank in Poland, most likely Alior Bank, daily Rzeczpospolita reported Tuesday, citing unnamed Polish bank executives.

Stakes in a handful of Polish banks are either up for sale already or may be sold later by their foreign owners to help them meet stringent new capital requirements at home. They include Banco Comercial Portugues SA's (BCP.LB) 65.51% stake in Bank Millennium SA (MIL.WA) and Belgian bank KBC Group NV's (KBC.BT) 80% stake in Kredyt Bank (KRB.WA).

Alior Bank is owned by Italy's Carlo Tassara SpA.

Newspaper website: www.rp.pl

-By Marynia Kruk, Dow Jones Newswires; +48 22 447-2431; marynia.kruk@dowjones.com