Suliasi Vunivalu's return to rugby league has been put on ice, with English Super League club Wakefield Trinity pulling out of negotiations.
The winger was understood to be in talks with the English club over a potential return for 2027 and beyond.
While he is currently sidelined with injury, Vunivalu's rugby league pedigree is clear to see.
The now 30-year-old debuted for the Melbourne Storm back in 2016 and managed 86 tries in just 111 games before departing rugby league at the end of 2020.
He also scored 12 times in 10 Tests for Fiji during that period, with the winger at one stage on track to be one of the greatest try-scorers in the game's history.
He has since played rugby union at a high level, with his current club being La Rochelle in France, where he is in his second season.
But a return to rugby league has always been on the cards for the Fijian winger, who was originally signed by the Melbourne Storm when he was just 18 years old.
It just won't be at Wakefield, per Love Rugby League, with the publication reporting talks have fallen through.
Coach Daryl Powel recently suggested rumours shouldn't be believed in the race for Vunivalu.
“There's loads of rumours about – don't believe everything you read," Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell said last week when quizzed on the Vunivalu rumours.
“I've got no comment to make on it really. He's injured at the moment, that's all I'll say.”
The winger could still target a return to rugby league after his injury recovery with other clubs, with the try-scoring phenomenon still playing well in the 15-man game, where he scored 16 tries for the Queensland Reds between 2021 and 2024, as well as 2 in 7 Tests for Australia.
Wakefield have already added Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for 2027 in strengthening their backline.
It's unclear which other clubs Vunivalu may be in talks with, but it's not believed any NRL clubs - including the two new expansion outfits, the Perth Bears in 2027 and PNG Chiefs in 2028 - are showing any interest in capturing his signature.
