LEEDS RHINOS’ sporting director Ian Blease has revealed that Salford Red Devils contacted him to take Kallum Watkins to Headingley – and that plans are in motion to keep the veteran at Headingley beyond the end of the 2025 Super League season.
Watkins joined the Rhinos earlier this month from Salford in a bid to help the latter alleviate some of their financial issues.
Other players such as Brad Singleton, Marc Sneyd and Tim Lafai had already left the Red Devils, but the loss of captain Watkins hit head coach Paul Rowley particularly hard.
For Blease, it was a deal that came off the back of an approach from Salford.
“It’s not the most pleasant of circumstances doing that to a club I’ve got a great fondness for,” Blease said on The Leeds Rhinos podcast.
“They contacted me basically about the situation and thankfully, with a bit of haggling, we got to a deal.”
Though Watkins is only contracted until the end of 2025 with Leeds, Blease has confirmed that both parties are in negotiations to extend Watkins’ stay beyond that.
“There is a longer term plan for Kallum in my mind and other peoples’ minds. I’m in negotiations with him for next year so we will see what the future holds.
“We’ve not brought him in for the short term. He is part of the Leeds make up – he has come through the system. here and is a legend.”
