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25th October 2024
02:00pm BST
Bundee Aki is reportedly in talks with French side Toulon over a potential move.
The New Zealand native earned his Irish citizenship last month after spending a decade living in the country and representing the national team for seven years.
He has very much cemented his place as a Connacht legend over his tenure in the west of Ireland, but at 34-years-old, appears ready to look for a new opportunity and life elsewhere.
According to French publication Midi Olympique, Toulon are reportedly very keen on Aki and want to wrap up a deal to take him to the Cote d’Azur ahead of the 2025 season.
It seems the Top 14 giants are under the impression that Aki is contracted “until the end of the 2024/25 season,” but a recent report from the Irish Independent has revealed that he is in fact down until 2026.
That would mean that Toulon or any potential suitor would likely have to pay a fee to release him from his current deal.
To make things even more fitting, Toulon's current number 13 Fainga’anuku has just signed a two-year deal to rejoin the Crusaders after 18 months in France, freeing up a perfect slot for Aki to slide into.
The rumour mill suggests that Biarritz and Aix also in the hunt for a world-class operator, a description that certainly fits the Auckland-born star.
Speaking to the Irish Times last month, Aki spoke about his love of the country and in particular, his hometown of Galway.
"I’ve been here for a very long time," he said. "I’ve embraced the people, and the people have embraced me and my family as well. We feel like we’re at home. To be granted citizenship is not something you take lightly."
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