Leicester Tigers eyeing 'marquee' signing, admits Richard Cockerill

Flanker Tom Croft also signs new contract at Welford Road

(Getty)

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has admitted that he may sign a marquee player in the summer.

The salary cap is set to rise to £5.1m next season, with clubs permitted to secure two players outside that cap, and the Tigers are increasingly wary that other clubs will be boosted by the law changes.

Leicester have traditionally opted to produce their own talent, or hunt for bargains, while keeping their wage structure on a more stable footing.

But Cockerill, whose side are fourth in the Premiership table after the 25-18 victory over Exeter, has revealed the club would consider signing a player for a fee in the region of £500,000.

"We have been in lots of discussions with agents and £500,000 is the sort of price bracket those players are in," Cockerill told the Leicester Mercury.

Leicester moved into the top four in the Premiership table after a hard-fought win against play-off rivals Exeter

"If you can't beat them, join them. If sides are going to go into that market place and spend that sort of money, maybe it is something we would look at, for the right person.

"If the right person came up, I am sure the club and the board would look at that from a playing and commercial point of view.

"Like Premier League football, you have to have world-class players in the competition.

"As a club, though, we don't have somebody who is going to give us £8m for a new stand. We have to find the money or take a loan and pay it back.

"We know what we are working with and we will not be spending as much as other clubs. That's just the way it is."

Tom Croft is set to remain a Leicester Tigers player (Getty)

Cockerill has also been buoyed by news that England flanker Tom Croft has signed a new contract at Welford Road.

The 'world-class' 29-year-old is recovering from the latest in a long line of injuries which have disrupted his career in the last four years.

Leicester's director of rugby added: "Tom has clearly had some poor luck injury-wise but, when he is fit, he is a world-class player and is still a relatively young guy.

"He will stay with us. Is it a risk on my behalf? Yes. But that's life, isn't it?

"Tom has had surgery to repair his shoulder and he had some nerve damage, too, which was more concerning.

"But he has had treatment on that which is very positive and that is recovering well."