Gael Fickou set for mid-season Racing 92 debut

France centre Gael Fickou is poised to make his Racing 92 debut after transferring to the club from Parisian rivals Stade Francis.

Fickou has been named on the replacements bench for Racing's away match with Toulouse, another former club, at the Stade Ernst Wallon. Fickou left Toulouse for Stade Francis in 2018 after fives years at the red and blacks.

The centre wasn’t due to change clubs until the summer months ahead of the 2021/22 Top 14 season. However, with Racing struggling minus the injured Virimi Vakatawa and Henry Chavency, the 27-year-old joined up with new teammates early.

According to Midi Olympique in France, Racing have picked up the Test veteran for just €300,000 per season, a very reasonable amount for a player of his stature and relative youth. According to the newspaper, Racing will also pay Stade €100,000 up-front for the early use of his image rights.

Fickou has made 63 appearances for France in and on again, off again international career. The wing cum centre enjoyed a renaissance in form in recent years, delivering on the vast promise of his early playing career which began professionally in Toulon in 2009.