Leicester Tigers have completed the signing of George Ford from Bath Rugby for the start of the 2017/18 season in a move which will also see fly-half Freddie Burns travel in the opposite direction to join his hometown club.
Ford graduated from the Tigers academy to make his first-team debut as a 16-year-old in November 2009 and went on to make 41 first-team appearances.
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He shared in Anglo-Welsh Cup and Aviva Premiership title wins with the club before joining Bath in the summer of 2013.
Tigers head coach Aaron Mauger said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to confirm the signing of George Ford, a player we obviously know well from his time here in the academy and as a young man making the breakthrough into senior rugby.
“He has become one of the leading players in his position in Europe and is still a young man with a lot of rugby ahead him. We look forward to his return to Welford Road in the summer.
The 23-year-old will team up with England colleagues Ben Youngs and Dan Cole as well as squad members Ellis Genge and Mike Williams, on his return to Welford Road.
Fellow fly-half Burns joined the Tigers from Gloucester in 2014 after starting his career with Bath.
He passed the 1,000 points mark in Premiership rugby this season and has almost 500 points in 65 appearances for Tigers.