Manu Tuilagi is one of five players to have departed Leicester Tigers, the club’s chief executive Andrea Pinchen has confirmed.
Several players, including 29-year-old British and Irish Lion Tuilagi, had been locked in a contract dispute with the Premiership strugglers prior to his exit yesterday.
Here are the four clubs who have already been linked with a move for the England powerhouse…
1. Beziers
Beziers, who are subject of a huge takeover from the UAW, are reportedly interested in bringing in the England centre.
The club won multiple French Championships throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with 11 titles to their name, before dropping into the lower divisions in France, falling into the third-tier Federale 1 in 2009.
Seemed inevitable after the Leicester transfer news that Manu Tuilagi would be linked to a move to Béziers.
— Paul Eddison (@pauleddison) July 1, 2020
Certainly makes sense from Béziers' perspective, but still seems like a long shot at this point.https://t.co/Nakf6iR5JK
If their takeover succeeds, the consortium plan to inject 10 million euros from the first season in order to pay off the debts of the club, buy back the loans in progress and, above all, “recruit heavy”.
It remains to be seen whether Tuilagi would be willing to play in the second division for at least one season, as the British Lions tour looms next summer.