Rugby:Jacky Lorenzetti, the multi-millionaire owner of Racing Metro, has conceded that the chances of Jonathan Sexton moving to Paris next summer are "tiny". Lorenzetti believes the Ireland outhalf, who is out of contract in the summer, has entered negotiations with his club in order to drive a harder bargain with the IRFU.
Sexton and his representatives are understood to have met twice with Lorenzetti, most recently last Sunday, with the wealthy French club prepared to offer the Leinster star as much as €750,000 per annum to move to the Top 14. That would dwarf any offer the IRFU would be willing to make but despite the finances involved, Lorenzetti expects Sexton to remain in Dublin.
"The Irish are the Irish", he told French channel Sport 365. "They're very attached to their homeland. They often have a strategy of blowing their own trumpet and using other clubs, notably the French, who are renowned for paying well, to raise the stakes, up the bidding and better negotiate their contracts in Ireland.
“If I have helped Sexton to better negotiate his contract, then why not? The chances of Sexton coming to France are tiny and to Racing ever more so."
Ireland coach Declan Kidney expressed his wish that Sexton will stay in Ireland earlier today and said he didn’t think it would come down to purely money.
“I’ve yet to meet an Irish player who has actually made his decision based on money,” Kidney said at the announcement of the Ireland squad for the Six Nations. “He’s made it on how he’s looked after, his affinity to the team.
“Our fellas’ pride in their provinces is only matched by their pride in their Irish jersey. When our lads make decisions about moving abroad they don’t make them lightly and I’ve yet to meet one who has made it purely on finance.
“Fellas have to look after themselves and I know the union will do everything to keep him,” Kidney added. “But because it’s a professional situation, there’s only so much money there. Hopefully everybody will make the right decisions that will keep Jonny in Ireland.”
Sexton is out of contract at the end of the season and there is disappointment within the Sexton camp that the negotiations over a new contract were not initiated until late November, after the Guinness Series, and that the union’s original offer was reputedly no greater than the two-year deal he signed before last season.
In turn, there is disappointment within the IRFU that there has, apparently, been no counter-demand from Sexton’s agent, Fintan Drury, who is chairman of the sports management company Platinum One.
The IRFU have trimmed both the size and the number of international contracts, from the high 20s to about 22 or 23, in recent years. However, it is also understood that in recognition of Sexton’s status within the game, the union would be willing to make him the best-paid player in Irish rugby; ie in the region of €500,000.
As was the case after protracted negotiations two years ago therefore, there is still the distinct possibility that a deal could be reached whereby Sexton would remain with Leinster and Ireland, all the more so as he enjoys playing for his province and Joe Schmidt and, aware of how Irish players are minded within the provincial/ Irish system, in many respects he would prefer to stay.
