
Salford Red Devils have conceded they will need to sell players as they look to trim a substantial amount of expenditure.
After being placed in special measures by the RFL last week, Salford have been told they need to cut £800,000 from their overheads and with player sales the quickest and easiest way to do that, they have been directed to offload personnel ‘without delay’.
As such, players are now expected to depart the Salford Community Stadium in the build-up to the new Super League season as Salford look to plug the financial hole they find themselves in. A raft of players have already been linked away and there promises to be more speculation over the coming days and weeks as the situation unfolds.
It comes after Salford made five off-season signings, while Paul Rowley’s first-team squad are currently away on a warm weather training camp.
So, with the club braced to lose some of their best and most high profile players, here’s everything we know regarding who could be among those set to leave the club.
Marc Sneyd
We’ll start with the man who has been linked away the most in recent weeks, Sneyd. The half-back earned a spot in last season’s Super League Dream Team and such was his form he ended the year as a contender for the man of the steel. Hull FC and Leigh Leopards are the two clubs thought to be looking for a half-back and it’s no surprise that Sneyd is on their radars.
Hull Live reported earlier this month that Sneyd was Hull’s main target following their shock release of Jordan Abdull, but as Love Rugby League reported yesterday, it is understood that move looks unlikely at this point with the half-back keen to remain in the north west at this point in his career.
That would put Leigh in the frame and it seems they remain the most likely option, but speaking to Serious About Rugby League last week, head of rugby Chris Chester refused to comment on Sneyd links but did confirm the club has a significant chunk of salary cap still to spend.
Kallum Watkins
Serious About Rugby League reported last week that Kallum Watkins had at least two clubs monitoring his situation at the Salford Community Stadium. Wakefield Trinity are understood to be one of those teams and the departure of back-rower Luke Bain was noted earlier this week.
It is thought other Super League clubs could have emerged should dispensation have been made available, but that won’t be the case. Rugby League Live have linked Watkins with Leeds Rhinos, too.
Club statement.
— Salford Red Devils 👹 (@SalfordDevils) January 15, 2025
Deon Cross
Hull Live have been leading the way on this one and the latest is that Hull FC have identified Cross as someone they want to add to their squad and they are confident. The Black and Whites are a little short of senior figures in the outside backs and Cross is certainly someone that fits the bill.
Jack Ormondroyd
Castleford Tigers director of rugby Danny Wilson has confirmed to the Yorkshire Post that Ormondroyd is someone they have looked at, while he has also suggested there are other Salford Red Devils players the Tigers are keeping tabs on. League Express and Rugby League Live were the first to make that link, though, with the forward seen as someone who has plenty to offer through the middle.
Others
Serious About Rugby League reported last week that Tim Lafai was someone who had admirers, while Nene Macdonald and Joe Shorrocks have also been linked with moves in recent days.
Macdonald is someone who has spoken about a desire to return to the NRL and with quota spots an issue in Super League that might be an option for him. Hull KR were linked by Love Rugby League but as mentioned above dispensations won’t be made with the Robins’ quota already full.
Shorrocks, on the other hand, has been linked with a move to Leigh by Rugby League Live with Adrian Lam said to be an admirer of his skillset.
What’s clear is that the speculation and transfer talk is only getting started and as sales begin and the season edges closer, clubs will consider targeting other Salford Red Devils stars.

Eric T Cat
January 16, 2025 at 10:26 am
It can’t work can it, League isn’t like football where clubs can absorb the costs of another player. League tries to be fiscally responsible, there’s a salary cap, limits on foreign players. It’s preseason, under a month to the start of the new season, most clubs have their quota of foreign players, their salary cap creaking at the seams. So say club X wants Marc Sneyd, how do they fit him in? Insult him with an offer little better than he’d get on JSA? Sack some other pour soul with no notice taking their livelihood? Same with a quota player, all of a sudden someone who has made a commitment finds themselves unemployed with little prospect of finding employment for 2025. That’s an insane way to behave, fraught with potential legal issues.
The RFL should offer a dispensation, allow Salford to sell players on larger contracts, but bring in loan signings, players on smaller contracts, to replace them. But the other clubs have to be allowed to add up to 2 quota players, from anywhere, and extend their salary cap. But this would need to be a 2 or 3 year thing, otherwise at the end of the season there will be a glut of players with nowhere to go!