Icahn says would contribute own money for Dell deal financing

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn said Friday that he would personally contribute a couple of billion dollars to finance a $5.2 billion bridge loan for his alternative to a $24.4 billion buyout deal led by founder Michael Dell.

"We talked to some investment bankers, and I personally would do a couple of billion if I had to," Icahn told Reuters.

Icahn, along with Southeastern Asset Management, has made an alternative proposal to Michael Dell's plans to take the computer maker private.

(Reporting by Sam Forgione; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)