Taulupe Faletau has given Bath notice he will be leaving them at the end of next season with a return to the Dragons on the cards.

The Wales and Lions superstar has a year remaining on his deal with Aviva Premiership outfit Bath but will turn down an option to extend his contract.

Dragons had hoped to get him back at the end of this campaign but have been put off by a £500,000 price tag Bath have slapped on him.

That’s around the size of the transfer fee Bath are believed to have pocketed for selling England outside-half George Ford to Leicester Tigers last year.

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Dragons believe they would possess one of the best back-rows in European rugby if they can team up Faletau with fellow Lion Ross Moriarty and prodigiously talented openside flanker Ollie Griffiths, who has already been capped by Wales.

Faletau, twice a Six Nations title winner, was Lions’ starting No.8 in all three Tests during this year’s drawn series with world champions New Zealand and in the winning decider against Australia four years ago.

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Moriarty will join the Gwent revolution next season from Bath’s west country rivals Gloucester.

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The WRU-owned Dragons will get first call on speaking to Faletau if he chooses to dismiss interest from French clubs Toulon and Toulouse for a move home because it is his region of origin.

The 27-year-old retains strong links with his former club, often being a spectator at their Newport lair.

Bath were last month fined £60,000 after being found guilty of breaching Premiership Rugby approved policies following Faletau’s appearance for Wales in the win over South Africa in a Test staged outside World Rugby’s official autumn window.

Faletau has a clause in his contract with Bath allowing him to play in all of Wales’ Tests. The fine applies to the remainder of his time at The Rec.

The 70-times Wales capped forward will miss the opening rounds of the Six Nations because of the knee injury he suffered last month in the Champions Cup at Toulon.

Former Dragons chairman Martyn Hazell claimed Faletau wouldn’t have left Wales for Bath two years ago had the WRU offered him a higher salary to sign a National Dual Contract – he went to Bath in a £400,000-a-year deal.

“I was told by his agent that if the deal had been worth a bit more he would have been happy to stay. It wouldn’t have taken a lot, another £25,000 or so,” claimed Hazell.

The new regime at the Dragons have also signed, among others, Richard Hibbard from Gloucester, Wales scrum-half cap Rhodri Williams and Jordan Williams from English Championship leaders Bristol for next season.