Sale of Intesa SP unit could run into 2010 - CEO

MILAN Oct 21 (Reuters) - Italian lender Intesa Sanpaolo SpA's (ISP.MI) talks on the sale of its depositary bank could run into next year, chief executive Corrado Passera said on Wednesday.

"Talks are going forward," Passera told reporters on the margins of a meeting of the Italian Banking Association's executive board. Asked if the sale could take place in 2009, he said: "It's not set in stone".

Newspaper reports have said Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's biggest retail bank, was in talks with State Street Corp STT.MI to sell the unit. Il Messaggero newspaper reported on Tuesday that Intesa Sanpaolo had valued the unit at about 1.8 billion euros ($2.7 billion).

Passera said there was nothing to add on the sale of asset manager Banca Fideuram. Exor SpA (EXOR.MI), the Agnelli family holding, has expressed interest in Fideuram. (Reporting by Andrea Mandala; Writing by Ian Simpson; Editing by Dan Lalor) ($1 = 0.6697 euro)