Rugby: French club willing to offer Beauden Barrett richest deal in rugby history - report

A French club is willing to pay Beauden Barrett $3.4m a season according to a report from Australia. Photo / Photosport

A French club is willing to make All Blacks star Beauden Barrett the highest paid player in world rugby, according to a report from the Daily Telegraph.

The Australian newspaper reported that a French Top 14 club is prepared to offer Barrett a $3.4 million a year deal after next year's World Cup.

The deal is reportedly worth a whopping $10m over three years.

When contacted by the Daily Telegraph, Barret's agent Warren Alcock refused to comment on any prospective deal to send the star playmaker to France.

"We couldn't make any comment on that," Alcock said.

The move would more than triple Barrett's salary which is believed to be $1 million per season under his current contract with NZ Rugby and the Hurricanes.

Japanese fullback Ayumu Goromaru currently holds the title as World Rugby's most lucrative earner bringing home $2.44m a season with French side Toulon, while former All Black Dan Carter is the highest paid New Zealander at $2.44m with Racing Metro.

Earlier in the week, Barrett made headlines after Crusaders assistant coach Ronan O'Gara stated that the 26-year-old playmaker could surpass Carter as the greatest first-five of all time.

"He fills grounds. He excites people. Everything good about rugby is what Beauden Barrett does and he's an exceptional talent," O'Gara said ahead of the Crusaders' clash against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

"He's probably nearly redefined number 10 play. Dan was obviously and still is the best 10 in the world, overall for decades. But Beauden Barrett is very exciting and could potentially go on to challenge him for that title. So when you speak of him in that class, by God is he up there."

Barret is widely regarded as one of the best players in the game and has picked up back-to-back World Rugby Player of the Year titles.