Melbourne Storm front-rower and New Zealand international Nelson Asofa-Solomona has reportedly caught the attention of a Sydney club for next season.
Highly regarded as one of the best props in the competition on his day, Asofa-Solomona has struggled to find consistency this season, which has resulted in him spending a large chunk of the season in the NSW Cup.
The New Zealand international is contracted with the club until 2027 (with a mutual option for 2028) but has continually been linked with an exit from the Storm this season.
Club chairman Matt Tripp would end up being forced to discuss the rumours surrounding the behemoth and squashed any chances of an immediate departure.
However, reports from News Corp have emerged that the Wests Tigers are closely monitoring the future of Asofoa-Solomona, as Stefano Utoikamanu remains undecided on his future.
Although Asofoa-Solomona would rather stay in Melbourne, he has failed to break into the starting team amidst rumours that he has fallen out of favour with club officials and is on a hefty price tag of around $900,000 per season, per the publication.
While the Wests Tigers preference is to keep Utoikamanu, the one-time NSW Blues representative has yet to confirm his future despite being offered a five-year contract extension worth around $800,000 per season.
Set to speak with club officials this week, Utoikamanu’s refusal to stay with the team could see the Tigers go all-in on Asofoa-Solomona, as he is one of the best props in the competition and an ideal replacement.
Announcing that he will honour the final two years of his contract until the end of the 2026 season, youngster Lachlan Galvin urged Utoikamanu to remain at Tigers alongside him.
“I don’t want to be versing him next year,” Galvin told News Corp.
“We muck around, I tell him ‘just stay here, just stay for a couple more years’ and I think we can turn this club around. I don’t want to be on the other side marking him.
“I’m already in the wrestle room with him and I get a bit scared. We want him here and as long as I’m here, I want him here with me. One hundred per cent we’re trying to get in his ear to stay.
“He’s a massive part of this team as you’ve seen in the last two weeks, he’s killed it. So we want him here as a Wests Tiger.”