Thomas Ramos, the leading points scorer in Stade Toulousain's history, will leave the club in 2027 to join Racing 92, in what is being described as one of the most sensational transfers in the history of France's Top 14 championship.
Ramos, who has 55 caps for the French national team, has spent his entire career at Toulouse, where he trained as a youth player before launching his professional career in 2014. He has won the French championship six times and the European title twice with the club, and has become one of its technical and vocal leaders.
A different kind of recognition
Despite his record at Toulouse, Ramos has arguably never received the same recognition as teammates Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. At Racing, he is expected to become the undisputed star of the dressing room.
The signing continues a long-standing tradition at Racing 92 of recruiting star fly-halves under club president Jacky Lorenzetti, following the likes of Dan Carter, Jonathan Sexton and, more recently, Owen Farrell. According to the newspaper L'Équipe, Ramos, who plays full-back but is a native of Mazamet, eventually wants to move into the number 10 position, a switch reportedly seen as more achievable at Racing than at Toulouse.
A 'difficult' decision
Racing, whose last Top 14 title came in 2016, have signed Ramos on a three-year deal as the club looks to rebuild, a process that includes a return to its historic Colombes stadium planned for the end of this season.
In a statement released by Stade Toulousain, Ramos said the decision had been particularly difficult to make, adding that he had chosen to take on a new sporting challenge because he wanted to discover a new environment and continue his development.
Salary cap troubles
Another factor behind the departure may be the salary cap breaches for which Toulouse has been repeatedly sanctioned, including a fine of 2.88 million euros imposed in early July.
The club must rein in its wage bill in the coming years and is no longer in a position to offer lucrative contracts to players in their thirties. Toulouse president Didier Lacroix, who has led the club to 25 Brennus shields, said losing a player of Ramos's stature was never a small thing, but that it was part of life at a club and in top-level sport.
