DONE: George Ford completes move away from Leicester Tigers

Although the 77-times capped England fly-half can't confirm the move to Sale Sharks until January, a contract worth over £600,000 is ready to be signed between the two parties.

Sale's budget has been freed up by the departure of fellow No 10 AJ MacGinty, with top-earning Springboks Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager also linked exits from the AJ Bell Stadium.

Ford was given a tour of Sale's training complex by CEO Sid Sutton last Friday and could sign a three-year contract as soon as Wednesday.

The 28-year-old has started in all eight of their wins and tops the division's point-scoring charts with 107 - 45 more than nearest rival Owen Farrell.

French rugby paper Midi Olympique has again linked Billy Vunipola with a move to the Top 14. The Saracens and England forward has on more than one previous occasion dismissed similar suggestions – but nonetheless the rumours persist.

Sale Sharks want to sign Leicester and England fly-half George Ford, director of rugby Alex Sanderson has confirmed. The 28-year-old is the Premiership's leading scorer this season with 107 points, helping the Tigers win their first eight games.

He is in a second spell with Leicester, following four years at Bath, but was born not far away from Sale, in Oldham. Sale have held preliminary talks with Ford and Sanderson said: "I thought it went well."

The England skipper's current deal with Saracens takes him through until 2022 and he is reported to be earning three-quarters of a million pounds. Last year it emerged that he was deferring 90% of his salary to help his club deal with the financial implication of the Covid-19 pandemic.

If he loses his England place to the emerging Marcus Smith, you wouldn't be shocked to see him go overseas to either France or Japan.

Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam is reportedly investigating whether Saracens and England star Mako Vunipola would be open to a return to the city he started his professional career in.

Loosehead prop Vunipola, 30, is undoubtedly one of the finest players in his position in the world and there is a sense among fans he is one who got away having come through the youth set-up at Bristol Rugby a decade ago having been at Millfield School.

Tigers are hoping to bring former England and Lions second row George Kruis back to the Premiership next season.

The 31-year-old has spent the last year playing in Japan for the Saitama Wild Knights following a trophy-laden 11 seasons with Saracens.

A member of the 2017 Lions squad that toured New Zealand, he has said he still has ambitions to add to his 45 England caps.