Tuesday 20 December 2016 15:26, UK
Sale are interested in signing fly-half George Ford should he leave Bath at the end of the season.
Sale's new owner Simon Orange is keen to add a big signing to the squad and Ford, who grew up in the Oldham area, fits the bill.
Bath coach Todd Blackadder has already said he "will respect" Ford's decision if he wants to leave at the end of the season, despite his contract running out in June 2018.
Speculation has surrounded Ford's future since the end of last season, when his father Mike was sacked as Bath's head coach.
Sale coach Steve Diamond told the BBC: "We would be interested in anyone of George Ford's ability.
"We've not had direct contact but when 1 January arrives and the transfer window opens we can start discussions if he fancies a chat."
Leicester, where Ford started his career, have also been linked with the 23-year-old, whose contract runs until 2018 but reportedly contains a break clause which would see Bath compensated.
Blackadder said: "If George makes a decision to leave at the end of the year, that will be his decision and it will be one that we will respect.
"It is something for him and people who look after George and those decisions. I have not tried to get too deep with him, I just want him to really enjoy his rugby in the time we have left for him.
"He is really enjoying rugby. When he gets back here, he leads the team really well.
"There will be a lot of speculation around his future but we will be guided by what he wants to do and we'll just take it as it comes.
"It is one of those things with a player of his calibre and quality that there is always going to be a lot of speculation. It is just par for the course.
"For us at Bath it is really simple: we just want to enjoy what we are doing and focus on the rugby. Even for George it is probably a distraction. We don't want it to be."
