Eddie Hearn has claimed that Northampton star Henry Pollock is "a seven-figure player" as he goes into contract talks with Northampton - even if the promoter admits "there might be players who are better".
Pollock opted to join up with the Matchroom supremo several months ago and now has Hearn leading his contract negotiations with the Prem champions. The 21-year-old’s contract is thought to be around £150,000 per year, but it expires at the end of next season.
Hearn's demand
Hearn is looking to land the England back rower a bumper pay day and has told Northampton to "recognise what they have got" whilst he stated that Pollock was "making an unquestionable difference to the bottom line of the club."
The Matchroom chief is a hugely influential figure and has talked up the money Pollock could get if he chose to move elsewhere - and his financial demands would make Pollock comfortably the highest paid player at Franklin's Gardens.
Economic value
Hearn told the Telegraph: "It is all very well saying that there might be players who are a bit more consistent or might be better or whatever, but there aren’t players that are making an unquestionable and undeniable difference to the bottom line of the club.
“Henry Pollock drives season ticket sales. Henry Pollock puts bums on the seats. Henry Pollock drives viewership on TNT or wherever it’s going to be. Henry Pollock sells shirts, right? That’s the difference. So you can actually put an economic value over having Henry Pollock on the team, and that has to be recognised, regardless of the want from Henry. He cannot stay at this club on the money that he’s on.”
Contract details
Alongside his Northampton contract Pollock also receives around £150,000 per year from the Rugby Football Union as an enhanced elite player squad member with England. Northampton though have spent under the £6.4m cap with their marquee player thought to be fly-half Fin Smith.
Reports claim Tommy Freeman will soon pen a deal that makes him the Prem's best paid winger but Hearn has talked up Pollock's financial pull off the pitch, even if the player would like to remain at Northampton. He also claimed the club's opening offer was not a “fair representation of his commercial value”.
“The first thing I said to Henry was: ‘Do you want to stay at Northampton?’” Hearn said. “And he said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘I love the club, I love the team, I love that I live 10 minutes away, and I think we’re going to win the championship again next year and I want to win championships'."
If Pollock wants to remain playing for England, which is the case, then he will have to sign with a club in the Prem. Many of those are already spending close to the cap and few would have the scope to pay a player £1m as things stand.
