Luke Cowan-Dickie could be thrown a Premiership lifeline by Sale after reports from France that his move to Montpellier is off.
The England and Lions hooker was due to join the Top 14 outfit this summer on a two-year deal but Midi Olympique claims his medical came back inconclusive.
Cowan-Dickie has undergone neck and ankle operations since he last played in January and Rob Baxter, his boss at Exeter, admits there is a nerve issue which is not possible to put a timescale on.