QUADE Cooper’s route to rescue the Reds just became much clearer with the former Wallaby activating the trapdoor in his contract to leave French club Toulon.

The enigmatic flyhalf will be available for Wallabies duty as early as August for The Rugby Championship when he inks a new deal with a Super Rugby side.

The Courier-Mail can confirm Cooper has told Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal he is opting out of the second season of his rich two-year contract.

Quade Cooper in action for Toulon. Picture: Getty Images Source: Supplied

Cooper’s contract was framed to include that option clause but it won’t distress the French heavyweights who struggled to maximise his talents in their star-studded backline.

After initial excitement, Boudjellal never rated Cooper in the same class at flyhalf as the club’s now-retired star Jonny Wilkinson, current top gun Matt Giteau or veteran Frederic Michalak.

Cooper has played fullback in the latter stages of his 15-game run at Toulon and utility James O’Connor had the No.15 jersey ahead of him in Toulon’s most recent match.

Cooper will fly home to Brisbane after the French Top 14 finals which have two weekends to run for Toulon should they beat Ben Mowen’s Montpellier in Sunday morning’s semi-final (AEST).

Talks will then begin with the Australian Rugby Union over a new contract because Wallabies boss Michael Cheika has been actively working to bring the 58-Test flyhalf home.

“I’ve been doing more than endorsing it...I’ve been out there trying to get him back,” Cheika said last week.

The Reds are re-organising their plans at flyhalf after realising how flawed it was to start this year with three rookie No.10s, Jake McIntyre, Sam Greene and Mack Mason, all 21 or younger.

Greene, 21, has signed to play for Toyota Shokki in Japan after the Reds’ season finishes with three games next month.

Queensland fans would love to see Quade Cooper back in a Reds jersey. Source: Getty Images

He has played just 63 minutes in five games as a reserve this season.

Australian Under-20s flyhalf Mack Mason is likely to be blooded off the bench in next month’s games after the Reds shrewdly opted to maximise his game-time and learning in Under-20s.

Mason, whose loop play set up Australia’s only try, was named man-of-the-match in Salford despite his side losing 17-13 to the England Under-20s at the world championships.

While the Melbourne Rebels want to be in the hunt for Cooper, the flyhalf is a 107-game stalwart of the Reds and a perfect fit to help revive his struggling former team.

With forwards Stephen Moore, George Smith, a fit-again Kane Douglas and Leroy Houston all to be on board next year, Cooper would be the backline X-factor to shake up the show.

Cooper’s homecoming will give the Wallabies valuable back-up at No.10 behind Bernard Foley with Matt Toomua heading to English club Leicester later this year.