It looks like Manu Tuilagi will leave the Sale Sharks as the team have admitted salary cap limits prevent them from re-signing the England and Lions centre-back.
He signed a one-year first contact when he left Leicester Tigers in June 2020 and has since extended his contract for a further two seasons.
However, according to The Rugby Paper, it 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 keen to move to Racing 92 after a final crack at the Rugby World Cup with England.
The centre, who had actually visited his training ground when the previous offer was on the table, was only barred from joining after crisis talks with England boss Eddie Jones.
However, reports in France suggest former England boss Stuart Lancaster could return for power with Toulon and Toulouse also interested in the 50-cap centre.
The Parisians were willing to pay Tuilagi around £830,000 a year in 2019more than double what Sale currently pays him.
Tuilagi, who had actually visited his training ground when the previous offer was on the table, was only barred from joining after crisis talks with England boss Eddie Jones.
There is also considerable interest from clubs in Japan and the United States, 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. Indeed, his older brother Freddie was selected for his country’s World Cup squad in 1991 – the year Tuilagi was born.
- In June 2010, Tuilagi faced deportation from the UK after learning he had entered the country on a holiday visa six years earlier and remained there illegally. After an appeal, he then obtained an indefinite residence permit
- He is the younger brother of Freddie, Henry, Alesana, Anitelea and Sanele Vavae Tuilagi, who are all Samoan internationals and also played for Leicester. He has another brother, 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.
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