Catalans Dragons launch move for Wakefield Trinity star

[josie andrews]

Exclusive: The French club have set their sights on one of Super League's star attractions.

Catalans Dragons have set their sights on Wakefield Trinity winger Tom Johnstone with a deal understood to be close. Rugby League Live understands last year's Super League Grand Finalists are lining up a move for the human highlight reel, who is off-contract at the end of the season.

The England international is likely to be one of Super League's most in-demand players during the current transfer window, but is the Dragons who have emerged as the frontrunners, with several sources indicating that the south of France is his most likely destination in a move that could be signed off in the coming weeks. Wakefield are inevitably keen to retain their prize asset, but Johnstone is more likely to depart come the end of the season.

While other clubs have been keeping tabs on developments, there is an expectation that Perpignan is where he will be playing come 2023. No deal is thought to have been finalised at this early stage of the recruitment cycle but there is a belief that it's a case of when rather than if.

Johnstone has been a sensation ever since making his Super League debut. He has scored 81 tries in 106 top-flight appearances but it is the manner of those tries that has particularly stood out. Johnstone's acrobatics have regularly spread across the globe after scoring a stack of the competition's most eye-catching tries.

Over the years big clubs have come calling, but Wakefield have remained firm and rejected bids. But with his contract now expiring, they face an almighty fight to retain his services beyond the end of the season.

Catalans' interest comes despite having two established wingers in Fouad Yaha and Tom Davies, who himself has represented England. Yaha is off-contract at the end of the season while Dean Whare, the New Zealand international centre, is off-contract and has recently been offered to rival Super League clubs, indicating his future may lay elsewhere.

Several of Trinity's star players are off-contract this season including Johnstone, Jacob Miller and David Fifita.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... d-23919633

[Charriots Offiah]

Can we have Tom Davies.

[josie andrews]

Can we have Tom Davies.

Doubt he would come back now

[medlocke]

Can we have Tom Davies.

Why

[Charriots Offiah]

Can we have Tom Davies.

Why

Because he is a good player.

[fozzieskem]

Johnstone is a fine player but he does pick up his share of injuries

[josie andrews]

Can we have Tom Davies.

Why

He loves it over there

[Caboosegg]

Can we have Tom Davies.

Why

He loves it over there

I don't think I've met one person who's been to perpignan and not loved the surrounding area.

I hate the sun and heat and went in a heat wave still loved the holiday I had.

I'm surprised we don't lose more players to Catalan.

[Barney841]

Johnstone is a fine player but he does pick up his share of injuries

I’d still have him, hopefully them days will be behind him.
Marshall has his fair share of injuries and I wouldn’t get rid of him

[Blackpool_Pie]

Can we have Tom Davies.

Why

Because he is one of the best wingers in the league and massively underrated