Racing Metro have admitted their chances of obtaining the services of either Dan Carter or Jonathan Sexton are slim to none.
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The French club’s owner Jacky Lorenzetti was hoping to lure Carter to France for the duration of the All Black pivot’s sabbatical.
After previous negotiations proved promising but ultimately unsuccessful, Lorenzetti has made peace with the fact that Carter won’t be seen in Racing colours.
“[The Dan Carter deal] is a disappointment,” Lorenzetti told French channel Sport 365.
“I met him a number of times. He was keen and the financial conditions were in place. He would have complemented our current squad very well.
“It didn’t happen because he got injured at the World Cup. He is frustrated to not have played [in the knockout stages] and is desperate to feature in the 2015 edition. To do that he has to play in New Zealand.
“I think Carter will perhaps do a short stint in Japan, they’re very generous patrons of world rugby. He won’t come to Europe.”
Lorenzetti also admitted that signing Ireland flyhalf Sexton is unlikely.
“The Irish are the Irish. They’re very attached to their homeland,” said Lorenzetti.
“They often have a strategy of blowing their own trumpet and using other clubs, notably the French, who are renowned for paying well, to raise the stakes, up the bidding and better negotiate their contracts in Ireland.
“If I have helped Sexton to better negotiate his contract, then why not? The chances of Sexton coming to France are tiny and to Racing even more so.”