"I think Monte dei Paschi has taken a different direction in strategy. Right now they are moving forward on their own. They've increased capital, they're streamlining the bank, they're restructuring it," Orcel said in a TV interview with Cnbc.

"They are doing a good job. And that's it. So they have to do that, and then we'll see," the CEO added when asked to respond to a Reuters rumor that UniCredit was still seen as a potential buyer of Mps.

(Translated by Chiara Scarciglia, editing Andrea Mandalà)