Nielsen, WPP mull gatecrashing TNS-Gfk deal -paper

LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - The Nielsen Company, the world's biggest market information firm, is considering a bid for Gfk (GFKG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), which last week said it was in merger talks with Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS.L: Quote, Profile, Research), the Sunday Telegraph said.

The newspaper also said that advertising group WPP (WPP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) was monitoring developments ahead of a possible offer for Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS).

Britain's TNS and Germany's GfK said last week they were in talks over a nil-premium merger that would create the world's second-largest market information group by revenue with a market value of over 1.4 billion pounds ($2.8 billion).

The Nielsen Company, owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts [KKR.UL] and other private equity firms such as Blackstone (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Hellman & Friedman, could not immediately be reached for comment. WPP was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Mark Potter; Editing by Richard Hubbard)