St Helens could be facing a losing battle to keep their star French halfback Theo Fages.
Reports have suggested that Fages is in demand in the NRL, with at least two clubs interested in signing the 24-year-old, who has shot to prominence this season after displacing Danny Richardson from the starting side since the start of the season and comes off contract at the end of the season.
That means that, unlike the situation in the case of Wigan’s George Williams, any NRL club signing Fages would not need to pay a transfer fee.
Fages, who originally signed for Salford as a 16-year-old, is reported to be keen to make the move to the NRL, although there are also a posse of Super League clubs who would be interested in snapping him up.
Castleford Tigers are also understood to be admirers of the playmaker, who has played twelve times for France and played a key role in demolishing the Tigers on Friday night at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle.
He will be free to speak to rival clubs come May 1st, when all off-contract players are allowed under RFL regulations to explore their contract options.
Justin Holbrook was asked about Fages’ future following the club’s victory over Castleford and he said: “I’m not sure. I don’t read too much into that kind of stuff. They can come from all sorts of different areas, those reports – and I’d love him to stay. Hopefully he can.”
