Newcastle have moved to head off bids for captain Callum Chick by making the England No8 a lucrative offer to keep him at Kingston Park following reports that Gloucester had identified him as a possible replacement for Zach Mercer, who is set to return to France.
Falcons have already lost England hooker Jamie Blamire to Leicester Tigers next season while Pumas lock Pedro Rubiolo, currently out with a long-term leg injury, has also agreed to join Bristol Bears.
The additional departure of 28-year-old captain Chick would be a massive body blow to Newcastle, who are looking for a new investors to take over from current owner Semore Kurdi.
The club have only spent £3.5million of the allowed £6.4m salary cap and they have been able to offer a financial package that Steve Diamond, the director of rugby, believes will keep Chick at the Falcons.
Chick played a key role in the successive Gallagher Premiership wins over Exeter and Saracens that ended a debilitating 25-game run of league defeats, moving the club off the bottom of the Premiership.
Newcastle
Dragons RFC
Diamond, who hopes new investors will allow him to sign a fresh group of international players next season, has 35 players out of contract that the end of this season and retaining Chick is his No1 priority.
He said: “Callum is happy with the offer and we have had a conversation. Hopefully, we will put the paperwork in place very soon and it’s very important to hold onto him and that is reflected in the offer that we made to him. We are discussing staying at the club with other players as well and it’s a busy time for me.
“Recruitment is important but retention is even more important. We have 35 players out of contract and I want to keep 28, and I’m confident of keeping them. I’m sure that Callum will have had other offers but he is a north-east lad and the club has rested on his shoulders for the last year or two.
“Hopefully, with the positive news about looking for new investors and the way the team is performing, and a lot of that is down to him, it is important we get that one over the line.”
“Dragons are a good side and we respect them with a good forward pack,” added Diamond. “We will have to be on the ball to continue our home run. We have Bath coming up in the Premiership and this is a chance for the guys to step up.”
