Dan Carter is set to become rugby‘s highest paid rugby player ever after agreeing a three-year deal with Racing Metro believed to be worth £1 million per year.
The All Blacks fly-half, who had a brief spell at Perpignan in 2009, will join the Top14 side following next year’s Rugby World Cup and admitted the lucrative contract offered to him by Racing Metro was a strong motivational factor behind his decision to leave New Zealand.
Carter will replace Ireland‘s Jonny Sexton who is returning to Leinster at the end of the season.
“I’ve got a young family, and that definitely comes into play as the most important thing, and at the stage we’re at it’s the perfect opportunity to experience living outside of New Zealand,” he said. “Obviously realising you can’t play rugby forever and wanting to make the most of that opportunity financially and set yourself up for the future was a big part of it as well. And Paris is not a bad place to live – one my favourite cities, which I’m quite excited about.”
“I’m happy with where we got with the contract negotiations. I guess it’s not about what you earn, it’s what you do with your money. It’s something I’ve been working hard on for the last five or six years to make sure I’m making the most of the money I have earned and will earn while being a rugby player.”
“I looked into the club in 2011 and was impressed with them then. It’s even grown since then. The owner Jacky has an amazing vision for the club, they’re building a new stadium, and he wants the club to be a real success story. It’s one of the oldest clubs in the Top 14, dating back to late-1800s. It’s probably just the vision of the club that Jackie really drives that encouraged me to sign now.”