It appears that Manu Tuilagi will depart from Sale Sharks, as the team has conceded that salary cap limitations are preventing them from re-signing the England and Lions centre.
He signed an initial one-year contact when he left Leicester Tigers in June 2020 and has since extended his deal by a further two seasons.
However, according to The Rugby Paper, this will be his last despite retaining his place in the England squad..
Tuilagi, who is set to leave the North West next June when his contract expires, is very keen on a move to Racing 92 following one last crack at the Rugby World Cup with England.
The centre,, who actually had a tour of their training ground when the previous offer was on the table, was only stopped from joining after crisis talks with England boss Eddie Jones.
However, reports in France suggest former England boss Stuart Lancaster could come back in for the powerhouse with Toulon and Toulouse also interested in the 50-cap centre.
The Parisians were willing to pay Tuilagi around £830,000 per year back in 2019, which is more than twice what Sale are currently shelling out for him.
Tuilagi, who actually had a tour of their training ground when the previous offer was on the table, was only stopped from joining after crisis talks with England boss Eddie Jones.
There is also considerable interest from clubs in Japan and the USA, who would see Tuilagi as a marquee signing.
Manu Tuilagi FACTS:
- His full name is Etuale Manusamoa Tuilagi and he was given Manusamoa after the Samoan rugby team. This is because his elder brother Freddie was selected for his country’s World Cup squad in 1991 – the year Tuilagi was born
- In June 2010, Tuilagi faced possible deportation from the UK after it became known that he had entered the country on a holiday visa six years earlier and had stayed on illegally. After an appeal, he was later granted indefinite leave to remain
- He is the younger brother of Freddie, Henry, Alesana, Anitelea and Sanele Vavae Tuilagi, all of whom are Samoan internationals and also played for Leicester. He has another sibling, Julie, who is fa’afafine (people who identify as having a third gender in Samoa)
- He and his partner Chantelle have two children together, daughter Leilani Lea’auta and son Leo Vavae.
Sir Clive Woodward ‘rips up’ England pack and changes entire back-row
15. Freddie Steward
14. Ollie Hassell-Collins
13. Henry Slade
12. Manu Tuilagi
11. Cadan Murley