* Vodafone sees potential takeover of KD as sensible -source
* Vodafone mulls strategy following leak -source (Recasts, adds source comment, shares, background)
FRANKFURT, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Vodafone Group Plc continues to see merit in a takeover of Germany's biggest cableoperator Kabel Deutschland, a banker familiar withthe plans said on Wednesday.
Vodafone's management is reflecting on how to handle itsapproach after the plan became public, the banker told Reuters,adding that if Vodafone were immediately to make contact withthe cable operator, it would have to disclose the plan to thepublic.
"It is just taking a bit of time," the person said.
Earlier, Bloomberg News cited three people familiar with thematter as saying that Vodafone has suspended plans to approachKabel Deutschland about a takeover bid.
Kabel Deutschland's share was trading 2.7 percent lower at1413 GMT, while Vodafone's share was trading 1.02 percenthigher.
Reuters learned two weeks ago that Vodafone was weighing apossible bid for Kabel Deutschland, which has had a stock marketlisting since 2010.
However, Vodafone's top management in London had not yetsigned off on the plan worked out by Vodafone's German unit.
"The leak came way too early and caused the whole process torun into the sand," the banker said.
Vodafone and Kabel Deutschland declined to comment.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuterslast week that Vodafone hired Goldman Sachs to advise ona possible 10 billion euro ($13.07 billion) bid for KabelDeutschland. ($1 = 0.7649 euros) (Reporting by Ludwig Burger, Peter Maushagen, AlexanderHuebner, Leila Abboud and Sophie Sassard; Writing by JonathanGould; Editing by David Holmes and Hans-Juergen Peters)
Vodafone (VOD)