France international Thomas Ramos set for shock transfer

France full-back Thomas Ramos has agreed to a shock move, swapping Toulouse for Racing 92 when his contract runs out at the end of the season, according to the latest reports across the Channel.

Leading French publication L’Equipe is reporting that Ramos, 31, who has played 52 times for France, will move to the French capital and join the Ciel et Blanc after the World Cup in Australia next year.

Ramos has been a mainstay of Toulouse’s four consecutive Top 14 title wins, scoring two tries in the 2024 final against Bordeaux, but his future now lies elsewhere.

The 31-year-old, who also plays fly-half, has made exactly 200 appearances for Toulouse, where he has spent the whole of his career except for a season at Colomiers in the Pro D2 when he was younger.

It is a move that will send shockwaves around French rugby, but one that had been on the cards after Toulouse allowed him to enter the final year of his contract without reaching an agreement on a new deal.

Ramos had been able to speak to rival clubs about a new deal since 1 July, and had been attracting interest from La Rochelle, but Racing were quickest off the mark and immediately lined him up for a move to Hauts-de-Seine.

RugbyPass understands that Toulouse, who were recently fined €2.88m (£2.47m) for salary cap breaches and breaches of the general obligation of transparency and cooperation, needed to let at least one of their big earners leave the club.

Ramos was understood to be keen to stay, but new regulations and the closing of some loopholes left their hands tied, and the only player safe from the axe was former England star Jack Willis.

This has allowed Racing to step in and pull off a coup that will be difficult to beat at any stage of the 2026-2027 transfer market, but could be surpassed if Henry Pollock leaves Northampton Saints.