The Japan Times - Northampton seek 'happy medium' in bid to keep England star Pollock

Pollock's existing Northampton contract, worth an estimated £150,000 ($200,000) per year, expires at the end of the 2026/27 season.

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said on Wednesday that talks over a new deal were "going well".

Eddie Hearn, Pollock's agent and best known for his work in boxing, suggested last month that his client should be earning £1 million a year.

"What Eddie Hearn also said, and people have gone straight to the million-pound remark, but the other thing he said is that Henry wants to win stuff, Henry wants to stay at Saints," added Dowson, speaking at the 2026/27 Prem launch.

"He wants to win the World Cup. I embrace that. I am all for that.

"The appetite is for him to stay. Now we've got to find some sort of a happy medium. We really want to keep him, he really wants to stay, and that's a great start."

Dynamic back-row forward Pollock made his England debut in 2025 and has toured with the British and Irish Lions.

He helped Northampton reach the 2025 European Champions Cup final and won the Prem title with the Saints last season.

Pollock also receives around £150,000 a year from the Rugby Football Union for representing England.

His flamboyant on-pitch persona, where he attempts to rile opponents and celebrates tries with deliberate routines, has helped Pollock attract a legion of young fans.

But many within rugby are concerned such behaviour goes against the sport's traditional ethos of putting the team first and there are fears that Pollock's head could be turned by Hearn's comments, particularly as Prem clubs operate under a £6.4 million salary cap.

"Eddie Hearn has a job to do and that is to promote his client and ask for more money for his client," said Dowson. "He's doing both of those very effectively.

"We've said we want to publicise and grow the game and he has the ability to do that."

T.Sato--JT