Junior Kpoko is keen on a sale move and a return to England eligibility

“That would be great if we could catch him. He’s kind of an athlete.

“We’ve been doing some stats on him and he’s in the top 10 in terms of dominant carries and dominant tackles, out of all the second rows in the top 14.

“This is when he’s 19/20 years old and just showing the foundation of what he can be.

“He is an international athlete and someone needs to turn him into an international player. We feel we are good at that.”

Any move for Kpoku is complicated by a contract that obligates him to stay at Racing until the summer of 2027.

But Sale, whose partner Simon Orange sold his investment firm for £1bn in January 2025, could reach an agreement to buy out the final season of the Kpoku deal.

“There is still a transfer fee for anyone who wants to negotiate, and we are dealing with top players in France like La Rochelle,” Sanderson said.

“Fortunately, the transfer fee is not included in the salary cap, so, as long as our owners feel generous and we feel he is a good prospect for our group, there is a good chance.”

Kiboko, who was born in London and joined Racing from Exeter in October 2023, is highly rated in England.

He received an invitation to train with the first team during last year’s Six Nations Championship, and the England hierarchy are said to have considered making a bid, external He has one of their improved central contracts to ease his way back to Prem.

Without playing an international match, Kibuku could become eligible to play in France on a residency basis if he remains in the top 14, but he would prefer to play for England.

“France is not really what I want to follow because it is not my country,” he told BBC Sport in December 2024.

“I want to represent my country, where I was born and raised.”

With Maro Itoje as captain, Martin, Northampton’s Alex Coles and Leicester’s Ollie Chisum are the leading candidates to feature in the second row at the World Cup, which begins in Australia in September 2027.