Manu Tuilagi’s uncertain future ‘a little distracting’ to his England Six Nations campaign, says Geordan Murphy

England centre is weighing up a decision to leave Leicester at the end of the season and join Racing 92, with Tigers boss Murphy stressing he is yet to make a final decision

Geordan Murphy believes Manu Tuilagi’s uncertain future is “a little distracting” for him at a time when he should be concentrating on England’s Six Nations campaign, with the Leicester Tigers coach admitting that the club cannot compete with French heavyweight Racing 92 in the bidding war for the sought-after centre.

Tuilagi is out of contract at the end of the current season and has been offered a huge contract offer by the Top 14 club to move across the Channel, which would end his England career due to playing outside of the Premiership.

Leicester have offered the 27-year-old an improved deal to stay at Welford Road worth in the region of £560,00-a-year, but the club cannot afford to increase their extension terms anywhere near what Racing are able to if they are to remain within the Premiership’s salary cap. Teams are allowed two players exempt from the wage bill, but Racing’s offer of a £2.5m three-year deal – worth around £830,000-a-year – has financially blown Leicester out of the water.

Reports that Tuilagi had agreed to join Racing have been denied by Leicester boss Murphy, but while he hopes to see the Welford Road academy product remain within his squad, he accepts that the decision is not up to him.

"He has an offer from Racing, but I've been assured by Manu and his agents that he hasn't signed anything," Murphy told BBC Radio Leicester on Wednesday.

"We'd like Manu to stay, but we simply cannot match the salary in France.

"We put the best package we can on the table and we will speak to his agents over the next couple of weeks.”

Tuilagi has not been with Leicester since departing in late January to join up with Eddie Jones’ squad, having resurrected his international career this season after a two-and-a-half year absence from the set-up. That has hindered progress over Tuilagi’s future, given the Samoa-born centre has started all three England matches so far in the Six Nations, and means that a final decision still may be weeks away.

That poses a major problem for Murphy as well as the club, given they can either wait in hope that Tuilagi will extend his stay with Leicester, or start planning for the future by beginning their recruitment drive for his replacement as well as other potential options that freeing up his current £450,000-a-year salary allows.

Manu Tuilagi is weighing up a move to Racing 92 that would end his England career (Getty)

"It's a little bit difficult in that he's away with England,” Murphy added. "Manu has to do what is best for him. Sometimes it will come down to a really tough decision, in regards to finance and the legacy he leaves behind here.

"It's a big couple of weeks for him - you want him to go away and focus on his performances for England, and this is a little distracting for him.

Leicester want Tuilagi to sign a new contract (Getty)

"You can't really press because that is the priority, but at the same time we need to progress with replacements if he does need to leave."