R360, Red Bull, World Cup dreams: How the Prem transfer market got hot

Sale, whose co-owner Simon Orange sold his investment firm in January for an estimated £1bn, are recruiting armed with depth charts, target lists and a big budget.

Sanderson has spoken about adding “four or five world-class internationals” to his squad.

Newcastle, who previously struggled to hold onto their best players, have recently been taken over by energy drink giant Red Bull, bringing another player to the table for top-end talent.

With the Prem’s salary cap set at £6.4m, there is plenty of scope for the market to heat up and the merry-go-round to accelerate as clubs pick and choose where to prioritise.

Journalist Neil Fissler is a specialist in the scene, picking up on possible moves for Rugbypass.

“My favourites are ‘if true’, ‘this will never happen” and ‘keep on dreaming’,” he says of fans’ online responses to his stories.

“It is a strange one, people do like a bit of speculation. Some begrudgingly look at it, some religiously look at it, but it has grown a lot.”

Transfer speculation is the summer staple that keeps football’s Premier League dominating coverage long after their players have headed off the pitch for their holidays.

Similarly, American sports’ drafts and trades generate headlines and interest.

While a football-style deadline day is not practical given overseas leagues work to their own timelines, Prem clubs have been given licence to exploit the intrigue and interest around big moves.

Bristol announced Louis Rees-Zammit’s summer arrival with a barrage of videos, including a lightning bolt-filled tease and behind-the-scenes footage of his signing., external

A public tug-of-war over Chandler Cunningham-South ended with Harlequins’ celebrating the England back row’s retention by dunking on rivals Saracens, and their inability to keep hold of fellow back row Tom Willis, on social media., external

There is also, in places, an openness about dealings that fuels interest.

Sanderson revealed that Sale’s own approach for Cunningham-South faltered because of the wage demands.

Northampton boss Phil Dowson responded to rumours about Furbank’s future by insisting his player would be “insane”, external not to talk to other clubs to get a sense of his options.

Former Saints wing Chris Ashton told Rugby Union Weekly this week about his 2012 exit from Saints, when he and the club argued over money and he was unceremoniously dropped after agreeing a switch to Saracens.

Such acrimony and presumptions of loyalty seems rarer now.

Fissler, who has been banned by several clubs for scooping their deals in the past, has seen the change.

“It’s a good way for people to engage with the sport and its players – and I think the clubs have cottoned on to that,” he added.

“I don’t quite get so many complaints as I used to from them. It is better to have a player talked about, than not talked about. It does create a bit of a buzz and an appetite.”

This year especially, there will be plenty of rumours and movers to sate that hunger.