Henry Pollock set to sign £400,000-a-year Northampton contract after Hearn's Instagram slip

Henry Pollock is set to sign a new two-year contract with Northampton Saints, with his agent Eddie Hearn effectively confirming the deal by tagging the England flanker in an Instagram post featuring a signing emoji and the word “tomorrow.”

The agreement is reported to be worth around £400,000 a year — more than double Pollock’s current salary of £150,000 — ending weeks of speculation over the 21-year-old’s future at the Gallagher Premiership champions.

Pollock had been linked with a move to Newcastle Red Bulls and, as recently as last week, struck a deliberately open tone in a pre-season media session. “I’m so young, so I think it’s only right that I assess those options and find the best decision for myself,” he said. “Your career is so short that you look back on yourself, and you almost regret not exploring new avenues. If that is staying here, then that’s great. If it’s not, then I’ll be open to new opportunities.”

Hearn, who heads up the Matchroom Talent Agency, appears to have inadvertently brought that period of uncertainty to a close with his social media post, which left little room for ambiguity.

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson had made little secret of his eagerness to resolve the situation, recently joking that “it would have been good to have it sorted three weeks ago.” The club now appear close to securing the futures of several key players, with scrum-half Archie McParland and loosehead Emmanuel Iyogun also among those the Saints are looking to tie down. England winger Tommy Freeman has already committed his future to the club.

Northampton open the defence of their Premiership title against Newcastle Red Bulls this weekend, making the timing of Pollock’s renewal all the more significant for Dowson’s squad.