Finn Russell 'signs for Bath' with Scotland stand-off set to leave Racing 92 and become one of Premiership's highest-paid players

Scotland stand-off Finn Russell has agreed to sign for Bath and will become one of the Gallagher Premiership’s highest-paid players, according to reports.

Scotland fly-half Finn Russell has agreed to join Bath, according to English media reports.

The Daily Telegraph claims that the 30-year-old has decided to leave Racing 92 in France at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and will become one of Bath’s marquee players next term. His contract at the Rec is expected to be worth £1million per year, making Russell’s earnings at the highest end of England’s top flight. Bath are set to announce the signing in the coming days and due to his status in his squad, his pay can sit outside of the salary cap.

Bath are rebuilding their squad for next season and are also close to signing South Africa prop Thomas du Toit. Their head coach, Johan van Graan, is understood to have met with Russell earlier this week and managed to convince the former Glasgow Warriors flyhalf that his future is with the club. Russell had been in talks with Racing 92 to renew his deal in Paris but reports in the French media suggest that there was a disparity in wages, with the Top 14 outfit also content with their other options at 10.

Russell’s departure from Racing 92 next summer will end a five-year stint in France after leaving Scotstoun in 2018. Capped 65 times for Scotland and regarded as one of the national team’s key players despite being left out of Gregor Townsend’s original squad for the Autumn Nations Series, it is something of a coup for Bath to land his signature given Russell was also linked with a move to clubs in Japan.