By Jason Harris
June 6 2002

The future of Saracens captain Abelatif Benazzi is still unclear. The French international has not confirmed whether he is staying at the club or, as some reports have said, moving to Sale Shakrs for next season. Commenting after Thursday's press conference, Saracens CEO Peter Deakin told the assembled journalists that he has been disappointed with recent developments and wants to bring the matter to a quick and satisfactory conclusion.

Deakin's disappointment stems, in the main, from Benazzi's comments in the press saying that he wanted to play Heineken Cup rugby and make a return to the French national side for the 2003 World Cup. Also, Benazzi was seen sitting next to Sale supremo Brian Kennedy during their Zurich Championship quarter final tie with Wasps a couple of weeks ago, fuelling speculation that a deal had been done. On top of those things, the fact that Benazzi was brought in to captain the Sarries side and that he now wants to leave is one further thing that irks the Sarries chief.

Things have been quiet recently as Benazzi has been away tending to the arrangements for his father's funeral and Saracens have not been in contact since the Benazzi family received that bad news.

However, Benazzi is due back in the UK very shortly and Deakin is adamant that he wants things settled in double-quick time: "It's now up to Sale and Abdel Benazzi to sort it out" and continued "I want to get it resolved before we go on and that there will be a satisfactory conclusion. And that satisfactory conclusion is a done deal"

When pressed on whether Benazzi was going to be a Saracens player, Deakin replided "I don't think so".

Whether a transfer fee or some other form of compensation is payable is bound to be under discussion as Benazzi signed a two year contract with Saracens last summer. It appears, then, that he will not be with Sarries next season.