Tigers.

England and Saracens lock Maro Itoje has been linked with a stunning loan move to Leicester Tigers ahead of next season.

Saracens are set to be relegated whether the current campaign restarts or not following a points deduction handed down to them over a series of salary cap breaches over the last three seasons.

Itoje had been linked with a move to Racing 92 on loan, but it was reportedly blocked by the other Premiership clubs as Saracens and England wanted an exemption for the lock so he could to represent his county.

But now it seems like Welford Road could be his next destination.

Speaking on the latest edition of The Rugby Pod, Jim Hamilton, who played with Itoje at Saracens, suggested a switch to Leicester was potentially on the cards.

“I saw one, a big one as well, just before we came on to do the podcast, so I have not done enough digging and there’s been a couple of reports,” Hamilton said.

“It was John Mitchell who mentioned how Maro and Mako (Vunipola) would be staying at Saracens but then I saw something about Maro to Leicester. Genuinely, I’m not throwing a deadline amongst the pigeons here. I genuinely saw it, so I’m going to do a bit more digging on that.

“The more and more I think about it, I can’t see how someone like Maro Itoje is going to play in the Championship. I know they [Saracens] are going to put on some exhibition games. Imagine if he went to Leicester. I’m not throwing it out there to cause a stir. I have seen it somewhere and I will dig because I have got time to dig. I saw it on social media somewhere.”