Abertis set to sign A4 Holding deal by end March-sources

MILAN/MADRID, March 1 (Reuters) - Spanish toll road operator Abertis is set to sign a deal to buy a majority stake in motorway group A4 Holding for 600 million euros ($653 million) by the end of this month, two sources close to the matter said on Tuesday.

Abertis said in August it had signed an exclusivity agreement with a consortium that controls A4 Holding - including lender Intesa Sanpaolo and builder Astaldi - that could result in the Spanish group eventually taking control of the Italian group.

The exclusive talks have dragged on for months as a number of issues needed ironing out. Under the deal, Abertis will acquire a 51 percent stake in A4 Holding.

Progress has been made to get financing for the operation, one of the sources said.

Another hurdle was recently cleared when A4 Holding was granted a renewal to 2026 of the concession for one of the two motorways it operates by the Italian government, the source said.

One of the sources said some details still needed to be finalised but the deal looked set to be signed by March 31.

($1 = 0.9194 euros) (Reporting by Paola Arosio and Carlos Ruano Navarro)