Noel Reid the third of the Leicester 5 to secure a new club

Irish centre Noel Reid appears to be the third of the Leicester five to secure a new employer, according to reports emanating from France.

Local newspaper Le Petit Bleu D'Agen report that Reid is set to sign for Agen, as speculated this week in France. Reid, could play either at centre or flyhalf for the Top 14 club, a position that head coach Christophe Laussucq has been eager to fill.

On Friday Leicester Tigers confirmed that Reid's employment - along with Greg Bateman, Kyle Eastmond, Manu Tuilagi and Telusa Veainu - was officially over and none of the five will be playing for Leicester Tigers. The five had failed to come to a new agreement with the club over new contracts.

Reid, 30, played at fly-half and centre in a century of appearances during seven seasons at Leinster. Capped by Ireland in 2014, he began his rugby career with St Michael’s College and Clontarf before making his provincial debut in September 2012.

He will join Telusa Veainu in moving to France. Veainu was signed by Stade Francais last week, the first Tiger to official find a new home.

As of today, reports suggest Manu Tuilagi, will be staying in the Gallagher Premiership. The Telegraph report that Tuilagi will sign for Sale Sharks, despite Steve Diamond claiming the club had not been speaking to him last week.

Diamond told RugbyPass: “We have had no discussions about Manu Tuilagi. People see what we are doing and our ability get everything sorted unlike other clubs. I think we are being dragged into it and I know Manu’s agent well and I trust him not to have brought us into it and I don’t know if it is the current club throwing it around to try and force the arm of the individual. I am very direct and, generally, I will say if we are or not.

“If players do become available of a high calibre as long as we are not contravening any regulations then we will look at other players. Financially we would be able to do that, however, we are going through a very intense schedule to get these Premiership games played and we are going to be playing Saturday, Wednesday, Sunday by the looks of it three or four times. Nobody knows where we are with the global season and I am just trying to future proof things.”

Elsewhere Tigers back row Jordan Taufua was “afforded an extended period of consultation after being quarantined following his return to Leicester from New Zealand, is still in conversations with the club.”

The club said: “In line with club policy and out of respect to Jordan regarding this confidential matter, Tigers will not comment on these ongoing discussions.”