Wales rugby star Liam Williams appears to be heading for pastures new amid contract chaos within the sport.
With the Welsh Rugby Union yet to seal a new funding deal with the country's regional sides, the uncertainty surrounding the players at the moment has almost seen them reach breaking point. With the majority of regional players yet to have secured a contract for next season, the national squad last week threatened to strike ahead of the home Six Nations clash with England - which would have cost them £9million.
However it was announced last week that Welsh players opted to cancel planned strike action over their contracts - with some players only having months left on their deals. Therefore, with the uncertainty around the future of the team, Sportsmail have reported that Williams is close to taking his talents to Japan.
The full-back is close to securing a deal to join the Kobe Steelers, the first ever champions of the Top League - now known as Japan Rugby League One. The 31-year-old is not the only Welsh star to assess his options, as wing Josh Adams remains of interest to Lyon, while prop Tomas Francis is of interest at Bordeaux and Stade Francais.
Wales coach Warren Gatland,who has been dealing with the off-field issues while struggling to keep the players focused on the field, admitted the lure of the national jersey is no longer enough for the country’s best players - especially with their financial troubles. “The desire to play for Wales and be in Wales potentially isn’t as strong as it was,” he said.
“There are maybe a number of players who are thinking about do they want to play their rugby in Wales. They’re probably looking at other potential opportunities overseas.” Following their 20-10 defeat to England, Welsh rugby players have been warned they face a £220,000 cut in their annual wages as the financial crisis engulfing the WRU continues to deepen.
According to Wales Online, the players, who earn up to £250,000 a year, have been told they will be offered a maximum of £30,000 next season. As part of last week's negotiations, it means players who have earned 25 Welsh caps are now able to move abroad to play their club rugby and still be eligible to represent the national team.
Furthermore, with the budget of all four regions dropping down from £7.8million to £5.2 million, there has been speculation that at least one of the number of Welsh professional sides will be cut.
Acting WRU Chief Executive Nigel Walker had previously said that he expects matters to be resolved this week, telling the BBC: "The contract discussions with players, that is going to go ahead irrespective.
"The regions are actually contracting before it is signed. That gives you an indication of their confidence that it is going to be signed. So yes, I'm very confident that this week will go smoothly." Following their defeat to England on Saturday, Wales remain rooted to the bottom of the Six Nations table. They will look to bounce back when they take on Italy next Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico.
