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Louis Bielle-Biarrey mega-deal could see multiple players axed
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With the season fast approaching its end, Top 14 and Pro D2 clubs are already making moves to clinch eye-catching signings, while others are looking to re-sign their star players; as is the case with Union Bordeaux Bègles and Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
The 2026 Six Nations Player of the Year has just one year remaining on his contract at the Investec Champions Cup holders and is the top priority for the southern French club. From June, rival clubs will be free to hold official talks with Bielle-Biarrey and, although sides such as Section Paloise and Stade Français appear to be out of the picture, RC Toulon could yet try to lure the winger with a lucrative proposal.
Nonetheless, RugbyPass understands that Bielle-Biarrey extending his contract with the Girondins remains the most likely scenario, with the player feeling settled in Bordeaux and the club ready to table an attractive offer to one of their standout performers.
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However, that would require Bordeaux to offload some high earners before the end of the 2026/27 season to ensure they remain within the Top 14 salary cap. The club is currently operating at 98 per cent of the limit and, with Maxime Lucu and potentially Bielle-Biarrey also due new contracts, there is growing urgency to avoid breaching LNR regulations.
At present, Bielle-Biarrey is understood to earn around €350,000 per year (gross), while Damian Penaud (€600k) and Matthieu Jalibert (€850k) are Bordeaux’s highest-paid players.
The 22-year-old winger began his rugby journey with RC Seyssins before joining FC Grenoble in 2016, featuring for their youth sides until 2021, when he made the switch to Bordeaux.
Having arrived at the club at the age of 18, the speedster quickly broke into the senior side, making his debut in January 2022 against Brive. He followed that up by scoring a hat-trick against the Scarlets in the Champions Cup, making an immediate impact.
After two prolific years with France U20s, he was called up by Fabien Galthié and made his Test debut against Scotland in a warm-up match before the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Although France fell to a 25-21 defeat, Bielle-Biarrey marked the occasion with his first international try, the beginning of what has since become a prolific Test career.
Widely regarded as one of the top backline players in the world, the Girondins are now pushing hard to get the deal over the line, with an agreement possible in the coming weeks.
