Wanted man.

Former England boss and current Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster has emerged as a leading contender to replace the outgoing John Kingston at Harlequins.

It was announced on Monday that both Kingston and Harlequins have agreed “mutually” for him to depart the Stoop at the end of the current Premiership season, after a difficult campaign.

Their embarrassing defeat at home to bottom club London Irish on Saturday ended up being the last straw, with a search already underway for his successor.

Lancaster has done an excellent job of rebuilding his career at Leinster, after a disappointing Rugby World Cup 2015 pool stage exit with England that saw him relieved as head coach.

He’s now one of the most sought after coaches in Europe, after helping to usher in a new wave of talent at the Irish province. While it’s not the first time Lancaster has been linked with a Premiership role, this one could be very enticing.

Harlequins have an excellent squad at their disposal and have recently signed a cooperation agreement with the All Blacks. Should they come in for Lancaster, he may seriously contemplate what appears to be a very exciting project.

Should he go, it would be a huge loss to Leinster.