Dec 2 (Reuters) - Australia’s Macquarie Group said on Wednesday its asset management unit will buy investment management firm Waddell & Reed Financial Inc for $1.7 billion in cash. The offer price of $25 per share represents a premium of 48% to Waddell & Reed’s closing price on Dec. 1, the last trading day before the announcement of the deal, the companies said. (Reporting by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)