Saracens' rivals sizing Owen Farrell up for shock Premiership return

Leicester Tigers have sounded out former England captain Owen Farrell about making a sensational return to the Gallagher Premiership less than a year after he moved to Paris to start a new chapter of his career with Racing 92.

Farrell, 33, was one of the most decorated players in the professional era during his 16-year year career at Saracens, which yielded six Premiership titles, three European crowns and an RFU Championship title.

The son of Ireland, and British and Irish Lions boss and Super League legend Andy, Owen was also voted European player of the year in 2017, won a Grand Slam in 2016 and was a World Cup finalist in 2019 and a bronze medalist in 2023.

The third man to win 100 caps for England, he played 112 times for his country and scored 1,237 points, with another six Test caps for the Lions, and could feature under his dad in Australia this summer.

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Last January, Farrell confirmed the worst-kept secret in the game that he was leaving Saracens and moving to Racing under Stuart Lancaster, who had given him his England debut in his first match in charge against Scotland in February 2012.

He signed a two-year deal reported to be worth around £685k a year, but the move has been less than successful, as he has scored 20 points in 10 appearances.

Farrell missed most of the pre-season due to injury and subsequently underwent surgery for a groin problem, prompting a leading heavyweight French rugby newspaper in January to label him the biggest transfer flop of the season thus far.

The Tigers are seeking a big-name playmaker to join them next summer and sounded out Farrell about returning to the Premiership now that Racing, who are ninth in the Top 14 table, six points ahead of Vannes have sacked Lancaster.

RugbyPass understands that Farrell has rebuffed the Tigers’ initial approach, however, and is determined to see out the remaining year of his contract in France.