He's hardly going to say "yeah I had a deal at Wigan all nicely tucked up before even sorting out a release from NZW"

IMO it's either about negotiating the best deal or the deal is done and it's all smoke and mirrors to make it look like he hadn't already decided his future when asking to leave NZW.

Either way, he'll be at Wigan next year.

From that, it sounds like Wigan cant afford him (under the cap), maybe Warrington.
Having said that, he always came across as Wigan or nothing (apart from going half way round the world to play down under).

Do we know if he is intending to stay in League ?

May rule Wigan and Salford out then.

A little bird tells me Luke Walsh is going home, now that will leave a chunk of salary cap to spare. Would the Saints stoop low enough to sign him? If they did it would make great competition with him and Dawson fighting for a place.

Saints could use Tomkins as cover for Lomax; they'd only need him for about 30 games a season.

Sam Tomkins -> Leeds
Zac Hardaker & Sam Thaiday -> Wigan
Ryan Hampshire & Matty Smith -> Saints
SKD -> Salford

100% happening.

I doubt the Rhinos fans would be too happy with that and Hardaker is full back at Leeds so he'd not be needed.

Aside from not wanting my team's derby rivals to sign a very effective player, I'd be very excited if Salford swooped in.

Swap deal for Carney at Catalan.

But that would not make any sense at all. He's leaving NZ because he misses home, what does signing for Catalans achieve exactly? Better weather but they all talk funny and its still not home.

Could be Salford at a push, but would expect him back at Wigan within a season if he did go there.

If Wigan can't afford him then nobody can.

There's literally no way Wigan are spending even close to the salary cap.

wouldnt part of his salary also be cap exempt at wigan due to his club trained status as well?. so effectively they can afford to pay him more than other clubs without it counting on their cap.

It's the same way Scott Taylor got closer to returning to Hull by moving from Wigan to Salford

Before he left England Samuel said that he would like to play for London some day. This would take up 50% of the London cap, but along with the signing of Samuel Rapira, it would guarantee that London gets promoted back to its rightful place in Super League.

One player a team does not make, London will need a hell of a lot more than 2 players to get promoted anytime soon im afraid, they are behind Leigh/Bradford in the CH, and possibly Sheffield and Halifax, but then again we will see Sunday when they face the Bulls.