Owen Farrell’s return to English rugby is inching closer after Racing 92 and Saracens opened talks over a transfer back to the Gallagher Premiership club, MailSport understands.
Farrell’s debut season in Paris has been a frustrating one, with the 33-year-old suffering a number of injury problems.
He joined Racing in the summer of 2024 on a two-year deal, but his club dispensed with Stuart Lancaster – the coach who signed him – in February.
Farrell still has 14 months remaining on his TOP14 contract. But he is now keen to re-join Saracens in a player-coach role.
Discussions between the North London club and Racing are now at an early stage.
Central to them is the fee Saracens will pay to buy Farrell out of the remainder of his Racing contract.
Owen Farrell is keen to re-join Saracens from Racing 92 and talks between the two have begun
It is understood Racing paid Saracens close to £500,000 to sign Farrell and would demand the same sum in exchange to allow the player to move back.
Sources have told MailSport Farrell was initially keen to stay with Racing for another year and that the player’s family is happy in the French capital.
But it is understood Farrell has accepted his body is now struggling to keep up with the demands of the TOP14. There is also a degree of guilt on his behalf that he hasn’t been a Racing regular while being paid in the region of £1million-a-year.
Given his fitness issues this season, a player-coach role back at Saracens appeals to Farrell and he has asked Racing if he can be released from his current contract.
Leicester, who are desperate for a No 10 for next season, are keen to sign Farrell too while Australian James O’Connor is also under consideration as a possible new Tigers playmaker.
Asked by MailSport this week about Saracens potentially re-signing Farrell, the club’s director of rugby Mark McCall attempted to downplay the possibility.
But he did admit Farrell’s future lay in coaching.
‘There are so many of these stories that come out. There is no point talking about something that is so pie in the sky. It’s better for me not to comment,’ McCall said.
‘I’d be very surprised if he (Farrell) didn’t commit to coaching. Rugby is in his skin.
‘He’s got a great IQ and a love for it, like his dad.
‘He’s a player for now and has 14 months left on his contract with Racing. As far as I know, he’s under contract at Racing and has a year left.’
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall this week downplayed talk of a Farrell return
Saracens need a new attack coach, but Farrell won’t take on that role.
Farrell left Saracens at the end of last season following a 16-year stint in which he won multiple Premiership and European Champions Cup titles.
Prior to that, he had taken the decision to step away from international rugby with England – the team he led and won 112 caps for – to prioritise his mental well-being.
Former England lock Geoff Parling, currently an assistant coach with Australia, will succeed Michael Cheika as Leicester coach for next season and a new fly-half is his biggest priority.
Current Tigers playmakers Handre Pollard and Jamie Shillcock are both leaving this summer. It has left the club in desperate need of an established back-line general such as Farrell. O’Connor, 34, has impressed with his current side Crusaders in New Zealand and is being monitored by Leicester as a potential new recruit.
He has previous experience of English club rugby having played for both London Irish and Sale Sharks as part of a globetrotting and often controversial career.
O’Connor’s Crusaders deal will end at the conclusion of the 2025 Super Rugby season. Leicester have re-signed their former No 10 Charlie Titcombe from Welsh side Scarlets, but he remains a junior figure and the Tigers need a player of similar stature to Pollard. O’Connor certainly has international experience.
Leicester also need a new fly-half and are keen on Farrell as well as James O’Connor (pictured)
He last played Test rugby in 2022, but is in contention to face the British & Irish Lions with Australia this summer – 12 years since he last did so.
O’Connor has 64 Australia caps and can also play across the back division. He has been open about his past problems with drugs and alcohol, famously spending two nights in a Paris jail in 2017 among several other incidents.
Parling’s current presence in Australia means he will be well aware of O’Connor’s ability and there is a good chance both will be in the Wallabies set-up in the weeks to come ahead of their pivotal series with Andy Farrell’s Lions.
