South Sydney have been offered a $1 million transfer fee to release Sam Burgess from the remaining three years of his contract to join English rugby union at the end of the season.

It is understood the Rabbitohs were officially contacted about the move for the first time last week and told Bath would pay £500,000 ($926,000) compensation to release him at the end of the season. The approach follows weeks of confusion about whether the deal would proceed as rival English clubs opposed plans by the Rugby Football Union to pay a transfer fee to enable Burgess to play for one of their opponents.

Switch: Sam Burgess' move could known soon. Credit:Getty Images

Bath appear to have now found the money elsewhere and there was speculation that an announcement may be made on Monday. The move would enable Burgess to play in next year's Rugby World Cup and any doubts that England plan to use him were dispelled when Bath owner Bruce Craig revealed on the weekend that the RFU had instigated the 25-year-old's code switch.

''Bath were contacted by the RFU and we were informed that a number of premiership clubs were also contacted and told that the RFU were interested in bringing Sam Burgess into rugby union,'' Craig told The Times.