* Announcement possible this week - sources
(Recasts with Linde statement):
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany’s Linde (LING.DE) and U.S. group Praxair (PX.N) are in advanced talks to sell assets to a consortium of German gases firm Messer Group GmbH and funds advised by CVC [CVC.UL] to gain regulatory approval for their planned $83 billion merger. The talks are over the majority of Linde’s gases business in North America and certain Linde and Praxair assets in South America, Linde said on Thursday.