New Wales star Nick Tompkins has chosen to join Cardiff Blues ahead of the other Welsh regions.

The Scarlets had appeared favourites to sign the Saracens centre, who has made such an impact during the Six Nations.

But after meeting with the regions, he has opted to link up with the Blues in a massive boost for John Mulvihill’s team.

The 25-year-old Tompkins, who won his fourth cap in Saturday’s Six Nations defeat to England , is contracted to Sarries until 2022.

But with the European champions being relegated at the end of this season over wage cap breaches, the goalposts have moved somewhat.

A number of players are leaving the club and Tompkins is ready to head for the Arms Park.

It’s now a case of resolving the fine details of the deal.

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One option would be him joining on a one year loan and then returning to Saracens to see out the final year of his contract ahead of a move back to Wales.

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But it’s understood the Blues would prefer to sign him on a permanent three-year deal.

If that were to happen, the likelihood is he would become one of the elite 38, with the WRU paying 80 per cent of his wages.

That clearly would be an even more attractive proposition for the Blues.

Either way, Tompkins will have to be with a Welsh region from when his current contract runs out in 2022 in order to continue playing international rugby under the WRU’s 60-cap rule.

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He has rapidly established himself as a key figure in Wayne Pivac’s Wales team, having been the find of this Six Nations.

Pivac has had his eyes on him for a number of years, having unsuccessfully tried to sign him for the Scarlets.

He was aware that Tompkins was qualified for Wales through a Wrexham-born grandmother.

So when he took over as national coach, he swooped for the Sarries centre, bringing him into the squad.

It’s proved to be an inspired move.

Having already impressed during the campaign, the Sidcup-born centre had another fine game at Twickenham on Saturday.

He was the creator of one of the tries of the Championship so far, right at the start of the second half.

From the kick-off, he ghosted past one man and then pulled off a one-two with Josh Navidi before giving a superb pass to Tomos Williams just as he took a big hit from Manu Tuilagi, with Williams putting Justin Tipuric over.

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Tompkins would be the latest English-based player to join the Blues, with highly-rated No 8 Sam Moore and Wales U20s fly-half Luke Scully having already signed from Sale and Worcester respectively.

WalesOnline contacted the Blues for a statement on the situation with Tompkins, but they had no comment to make at this stage.