"That's why we are also currently look at alternative options for growth," CEO Martin Zielke told employees, according to comments posted on the bank's intranet and seen by Reuters.

"The alternative of doing nothing is not an option," he said.

Bloomberg first reported the comments.

(Reporting by Hans Seidenstuecker; Writing by Tom Sims; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

Stocks treated in this article : Commerzbank AG, Deutsche Bank AG