Garrett Fitzgerald ‘optimistic’ Simon Zebo will commit to Munster

Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald says he is “very optimistic” Ireland wing Simon Zebo will sign a new contract with the province rather than leave at the end of his current deal this summer.

Negotiations with Keith Earls and Conor Murray, also out of contract in June, are at an advanced stage while Zebo, strongly linked with a move to the French Top14, will receive a contract offer this week with the expectation he will signal his intentions before Ireland’s Six Nations defence begins next month.

“I still think the top guys, most of them, will stay here,” Fitzgerald said yesterday.