Stefano Utoikamanu's time at the Wests Tigers is set to come to a close with the forward being granted permission to look around and negotiate with rival clubs.
The prop is contracted at the Tigers until the end of the 2025 season but has clauses in his contract that allow him to test the open market at the end of this season.
Given he has been left out of Origin Two and that the club are at the wrong end of the ladder with chances of playing finals football all but gone, he is all but cleared to test the open market.
This has now been confirmed by Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson, who stated that he Utoikamanu is officially allowed to negotiate with rival clubs.
โWe've sat down with Stefano, his partner Chiara, and his management, and we all want what's best for him and his family,โ Richardson said in a statement.
โStefano has given us no indication that he wants to leave, but he does want to have a look around, and we are totally comfortable with that.โ
It is understood that the Wests Tigers have tabled him a five-year contract extension worth around $4 million but he has yet to accept despite giving no indication that he wants to leave.
