Fin Smith: Northampton Saints face battle to keep England star

Fin Smith is set to become one of the hottest properties in the transfer market as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract with Northampton Saints, who could struggle to match offers heading his way from Premiership rivals.

Warwick-born Smith, 22, who has won 12 England caps, started four of England’s last five games in this year’s Six Nations after successfully wresting the 10 shirt from chief rival Harlequins' Marcus Smith.

As a consequence, he has seen his stock rise, and as one of, if not England’s lowest-paid stars, he is long overdue a pay rise from Saints, whom he helped win a Premiership title in 2024, starting their Twickenham win over Bath.

Smith, who has Scottish parents, was named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Season in 2024 and was also voted the RPA Players' Player of the Year. Clubs are now beating a path to his door, waiting for the chance to open talks.

East Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers are known to be one of the clubs keeping tabs on developments, and they are preparing a stop-gap move for Gloucester and Wales star Gareth Anscombe to tide them over for the next 12 months.

They will be able to make Smith a big-money offer, and they currently have £600,000 to spend when he enters the final year of his deal later this summer, which will give Saints' paymasters a massive headache.

Saints, who picked up Smith when Worcester Warriors went out of business, are one of the clubs in favour of lowering the salary cap, having lost £1.7 million in the last financial year.

Franklin’s Gardens chief executive Julia Chapman predicts the club will make a smaller loss this year and believes clubs need to reduce the £6.4m salary cap to become profitable.

But that is only likely to increase the chances of Smith ending up plying his trade at Welford Road when his contract expires at the end of next season.