All Black Carter offered R44m deal

Dan Carter is on the brink of becoming the highest paid rugby player in the world.

All Black Carter, 29, has been offered a near-£4million, three-year deal by Jacky Lorenzetti, the millionaire owner of Paris club Racing Metro.

Lorenzetti, who made his fortune in property deals, believes Carter is the man who can catapult Racing Metro back to their former status as the best club in France.

They last won the title in 1990, but Lorenzetti also has ambitions to make them the best side in Europe, having already signed Springbok star Frans Steyn, France locks Sebastien Chabal and Lionel Nallet, Argentina's Juan Martin Hernandez and the Six Nations Player of the Year, Italian back Andrea Masi.

Chabal and, before him, Australian back Matt Giteau were thought to be the world's best-paid players on £1million and £900,000 a year respectively, but their earnings will be eclipsed by Carter's deal with Racing Metro.

Other European clubs have shown an interest in signing Carter but have been put off by his exhorbitant price tag.

Frans Steyn is reported to be earning more than double of what any current Springbok playing in South Africa earns. South Africa's most expensive players earn between R2,5-million and R3-million per year.

Best-paid rugby players:

D Carter, £1.2m (R13.3m), Racing Metro (2011-12)

S Chabal, £1m (R11.1m), Racing Metro (2011-12)

M Giteau, £900,000 (R9.9m), Western Force (2009-10)

J Hook, £750,000 (R8.3m), Perpignan (2011-12)

J Wilkinson, £700,000 (R7.7m), Toulon (2011-12)

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