Argentina star confirms exit from Premiership giants amid Top 14 links

Leicester Tigers captain and Argentina international hooker Julian Montoya has confirmed this will be his final season at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, after five years in the East Midlands.

The front-row forward joined Leicester ahead of the 2020/21 season and has since gone onto play 78 times for the club. In his time, he has also helped the Tigers win a Premiership title.

He is also the latest to be headed for the exit door at the end of the season, following Handre Pollard, Ben Youngs and Michael Cheika to pastures new.

Julian Montoya to leave Leicester Tigers

There has been much speculation over his future this season, following initial reports back in October that he was set to join Top 14 side Pau, and he has now confirmed this will be his final season with Leicester.

“The speculation and chat and everything that people say, I can’t control it,” Montoya told BBC Radio Leicester.

“What I can say is that it will be my last season with Leicester Tigers, this amazing club and organisation.

“For now, you never know what the future will bring.”

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He added: “In Argentina, we say ‘you don’t want to play the game beforehand’, so I think that time is going to come when I can open myself up a bit more and be a bit more emotional about it and say everything I want to say. What I will say is that I will forever be grateful.

“I respect this club so much, the fans and organisation. My focus right now is to be better for these next games.

“That is where my mindset is now.”

Leicester will be hoping to send Montoya and the rest of the departing Tigers out with a bang this season too. They currently sit second in the table heading into the final three rounds of the season, and look in pole position to seal the last home semi-final.

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