Johnny Sexton may be on the treatment table but the former World Player of the Year is still very much in high demand.
The Irish Times report that representatives from Top 14 side Lyon have approached Sexton about joining the club on a two-year deal with an option for a third. Sexton is understood to have declined the offer.
The Ireland out-half spent two years in France with Racing Metro from 2013 to 2015, a move that signaled the end of overseas-based players being picked by Ireland.
The Leinster number 10 has another year remaining on his current IRFU central contract, taking him up to the end of the 2020-21 season. According to reports, he has no intention of leaving the Island and returning to France.
Lyon were reportedly hoping he would cut that deal short to move to the Top 14 leaders, an attractive proposition for a player aged 34. However Sexton has said he intends to end his career with his home province, but not at the end of his current deal.
Negotations
The interest from France will no doubt help his cause when those negotiations with the IRFU commence.
Leinster today reported that Sexton will visit a specialist over the next few weeks in order to ascertain the extent of his knee injury he sustained in the Heineken European Champions Cup game against Northampton at Franklins Gardens.
Sexton landed awkwardly after being tackled and was forced to leave the pitch. There had been mixed reports about the full extent of the damage to his medial ligament.
Last week Leo Cullen said playing in the opening round of the Six Nations was possible. Ireland play Scotland in the opening round on February first at The Aviva.
Sexton will be very much in the plans of new head coach Andy Farrell who named the Leinster playmaker in his first mid-season training squad.
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