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.

“We have been quite simple about it.

“Conor Murray is out of contract, is in an advanced stage in negotiations and has quite an attractive offer on the table that I am sure he will make up his made quite shortly on.

“Keith Earls is in exactly the same situation.

“A lot has been written on Simon’s situation, and I speak to Simon regularly about what he wants to do.

“At this point in time, the plan is that he will receive an offer this week with a view to him making any decision he is going to make.

“I imagine he is going to make it before the Six Nations.

“From the conversations I have had with him, I would say I would be very optimistic,” Fitzgerald said, before adding mischievously, “but I would say there are probably other optimistic people around as well.”