Despite being told he is no longer part of Agen's plans, Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca is still being paid by the French club and wants to resume playing.
But the Top 14 newcomers are adamant the wayward winger will never play for them again and are holding out for a transfer fee to let 'Caucau' leave. The player's agent told the Sud Ouest newspaper that his client has not officially been fired and is still receiving his wages after he failed to return to France in time for the new season.
The flying winger remained in Fiji to get treatment on a shoulder injury, but the club did not authorise his leave and lost patience with the 30-year-old. However, they are now reluctant to let him join a rival club.
"Everyone thinks that Rupeni is free, but that's not true," the player's agent said. "He wants to stay in Agen, it's the club that doesn't want him anymore. But then SUA must dismiss Rupeni in accordance with labour law."
Agen president Alain Tingaud acknowledged the player was still officially an employee of the club as they look to negotiate the rigours of French employment law. He confirmed that the player has no future at Agen, who did not pay him while he was absent but were forced to resume funding his wages when he returned to France. The club are set to demand a €150,000 transfer fee.
"We're discussing the terms of releasing him from his contract. It's a release, not a dismissal," he told Rugbyrama. "It's out of the question that he rejoins our squad. We asked him if he wanted to play overseas or back in Fiji and he said he didn't know.
"We would prefer that he didn't join one of our competitors. We had another meeting with him and his pseudo-agents to discuss the terms of his release. If we don't want him to join a certain club, we'll have to continue paying his salary. If he wants to train, of course he can do it with our squad, but he'll never play for us again."