Ross Byrne one of two Test 10s on Top 14 strugglers' wanted list
Perpignan are the latest club to be linked with former Ireland fly-half Ross Byrne, whose career has stalled following his move to Gallagher PREM strugglers Gloucester last summer.
The Blood and Golds are looking for a new playmaker with Benjamín Urdapilleta set to retire at the end of the season and Italian international Tommaso Allan joining Zebre Parma.
And they have been looking to see who is available for a move to Stade Aimé Giral this summer and have two names on their wanted list: Byrne and another Italian international, Paolo Garbisi, who is said to be surplus to requirements at Toulon.
Toulon are going to make Argentine Tomás Albornoz, who was signed from Benetton earlier this season, their first-choice fly-half and let Garbisi, who is under contract until 2027, leave the club if he can find another club.
Perpignan had Wallaby international Tom Lynagh on their shopping list before he opted to sign a contract extension with the ARU and the Queensland Reds, sending them back to the drawing board.
And they could offer Byrne the chance to reunite with his former Leinster team-mate Luke McGrath, who is making the move from Dublin this summer and end his Kingsholm nightmare.
Byrne, 31, a member of Ireland’s 2023 Grand Slam-winning side who has been linked with a move to the Sharks in Durban, is under contract until 2028 but hasn’t played since the PREM Rugby Cup win over Sale Sharks in February despite being fit.
Gloucester boss George Skivington told RugbyPass that the move hadn’t worked as anticipated, as he struggles with their style of play and has now dropped behind Charlie Atkinson following his successful switch from full-back.
“Being frank, it’s not gone the way we saw it going initially. But I think you caveat that, with Charlie, is in a way better position than we could have anticipated. Ross is still here, training and being positive. There’s no sort of drama around that,” he said.