WORCESTER Warriors chief Dean Ryan says there’s no truth in speculation linking England and British Lions centre Manu Tuilagi with a move to Sixways.

Speculation suggested Warriors were putting together a £1.6 million package for Tuilagi who is out of contract at Leicester Tigers at the end of the season.

It was claimed the 24-year-old would be paid £750,000 next term if he comes to Worcester and £450,000 in each of the next two campaigns.

Tuilagi is best mates with Warriors prop Ryan Bower and was at Sixways for Worcester’s Championship play-off final second leg against Bristol in May.

But Warriors director of rugby Ryan said: “We don’t comment on speculation and we certainly don’t comment on the front page of the Rugby Paper so that’s it – there’s nothing more to be said.”

Asked whether there was any truth in the speculation, Ryan said: “There isn’t, no. We don’t live our lives off the front page of the Rugby Paper.

“We are interested in any player who is interested in joining what we’re doing and we are on a constant search to see who that is.

“We are trying to make this a successful rugby environment and with, that in mind, if people feel this is the place where they can come and play that’s great but they have to convince us as much as anything else that they want to be part of what we’re doing.”

Ryan added: “It’s something which has moved on from where we were 12 months ago in terms of the type of people rumoured to be coming here, which is great.

"But we are on the look-out all the time so we don’t comment on anybody or anything but we’re on the look-out all the time for good players to come.

"For every story that is speculated there is no audit process on whether they are true or not – they just drift away.”