Top 14

Racing Metro close in on Dan Carter capture

Tom Hamilton

Dan Carter is in Racing Metro's sights © Getty Images Enlarge

Racing Metro are closing in on the signing of All Blacks superstar Dan Carter.

ESPN understands the deal could be announced as soon as next week with Carter set to join the Top 14 side after next year's World Cup. Carter, who will be 33 next November, would fill the void left by current fly-half Jonathan Sexton who will re-join Leinster at the end of the season.

Racing Metro owner Jacky Lorenzetti has long been an admirer of Carter and confirmed his interest in the fly-half back in September, saying: "If the coaches agree, Dan Carter may be an opportunity to strengthen the club next season."

It will be Carter's second spell in France after he joined Perpignan on a seven-month contract in December 2008. His time there was restricted to just five matches after he sustained a partial rupture of the Achilles tendon in their match against Stade Francais on January 31, 2009.

The move to Racing will see Carter become unavailable for All Blacks selection from November next year due to their policy of only picking from those who are playing in New Zealand. Steve Hansen still has a plethora of options to pick from at fly-half with Beauden Barrett, Colin Slade and Aaron Cruden all in the mix. Barrett is contracted to the New Zealand Rugby Union until 2016 with Cruden tied in until 2017.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Tom Hamilton is the Associate Editor of ESPNscrum.