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Toulon are looking to slash Leigh Halfpenny’s wages, according to reports in the French media.

The Wales and Lions full-back has been negotiating a contract extension for months now, but the deal still isn’t done.

Earlier this week we reported Halfpenny was prepared to walk away from the French side if the matter was not sorted by the end of this week.

And according to Midi Olympique, he may have to start tightening his belt.

He is currently on a reported €600,000-a-year at Toulon, where he has spent the past three seasons.

But the paper says the club’s multi-millionaire owner Mourad Boudjellal has offered him a two-year extension at €350,000 a season.

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That’s on account of the fact he has played an average of ten Top 14 matches a season for club since arriving from Cardiff Blues in 2014.

Midi Olympique reports that the offer is “far from satisfactory” for the 28-year-old and it claims Boudjellal wouldn’t be surprised to see him leave.

However, I understand the player’s representatives are stil optimistic that a deal can be done,

If Lions squad member Halfpenny were to leave Toulon, he would have no shortage of offers.

Cardiff Blues have long been keen to bring him back to the Arms Park on a WRU national dual contract.

They came tantalisingly close to getting their man on a £420,000-a-year package, only for the deal to fall through over the length of the contract the Union were offered.

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Halfpenny wanted it to end after the 2019 World Cup, enabling him to have a crack at Super Rugby, but the WRU were nort comfortable with setting the precedent of a contract finishing mid-season.

If he were to become available, the Blues may well look to resume negotiations afresh in conjunction with the Union.

The 71-cap full-back has also been a target for Dai Young’s Wasps in the past, but it seems unlikely that they would re-enter the market on this occasion.

One other potential suitor would be Bath who have been reported as looking to recruit him from the season after next and might be interested in bringing that deal forward.

Meanwhile, Toulon have failed in their bid to have Halfpenny available should they reach next week’s Top14 final at the Stade de France.

He will line up at No 15 against La Rochelle in tonight’s semi-final at the Orange Vélodrome, in Marseille.

Midi Olympique claims Boudjellal called Lions head coach Warren Gatland to discuss the player’s potential availability for the June 4 final at the Stade de France.

However, it reports his efforts were “in vain” and that Halfpenny will link up with the Lions this weekend.

It has been confirmed to me today by a Lions spokesman that the player will indeed be flying out to New Zealand with the rest of the tour party on Monday.