Manu Tuilagi is set to be embroiled in a transfer tug-of-war after Aviva Premiership rivals Saracens submitted a £400,000-a-year offer which could, in turn, blow apart the current uneasy situation surrounding the future of Premier Rugby’s salary cap while the investigation into the future of the ruling could be reopened.
The Leicester Tigers and England centre, who is currently sidelined by a long-term groin injury, was not considered for selection after pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer after previously establishing himself in the national starting XV with his absence providing the opportunity for Rugby League convert Sam Burgess to make his bow for the national team.
And now his current employees are reported to be infuriated with the supposed offer made by the Saracens, with the Daily Mail reporting that relations between England’s top Premiership clubs are understood to be close to ‘breaking point’ with Saracens and Bath believed to be making significant concessions in an attempt to avoid a points deduction or even financial sanctions for historic breaches of the salary cap.
Both clubs were investigated by Premier Rugby only last December, with Northampton Saints also now believed to be under scrutiny after claims were made that the club was in breach of strict guidelines governing the amount clubs spend on player wages aimed at ensuring the league remains competitive.
However, fans were exasperated at the failure to punish the league’s two richest clubs after the investigation was closed in April with both clubs agreeing to a number of concessions, including player transfer targets.
Leicester’s relationship with Saracens has deteriorated since the departure of former Allianz Park chief executive Edward Griffiths last March and the club initially agreed to the investigation being dropped on the understanding that the winners of last season’s Premiership would not submit a formal offer for Tuilagi, whose contract is up at the end of the upcoming season.
