Arthur Romano is set for an early Hull FC exit.
Hull FC centre Arthur Romano. (Image: SW PIX)
Hull FC’s Arthur Romano is set to return to Catalans Dragons, with a deal agreed that will see the player link up with the French club once again.
An international with France, Romano signed a two year deal with Hull for the 2026 and 2027 seasons after spending his entire prior career with the Dragons. However, his FC contract will now be cut short due to personal reasons.
As first reported by French publication L’independent, Romano, who has a young family, has sought a release from Hull after declaring a desire to return home to Perpignan to be with his partner and children, who did not relocate to East Yorkshire with the player.
The Black and Whites will be compensated for the loss, with Romano one of the club’s very best players before suffering an ankle injury at the start of April. He will now reunite with the Dragons and former head coach John Cartwright.
Playing his final game for Hull against Leeds Rhinos this Friday night, Romano has been restricted to 12 appearances this year after ankle and then wrist complications that kept him out for four months.
As for centre options, Hull have signed Jordan Swann and Junior Pauga from overseas for the 2027 season but with Davy Litten (Wakefield Trinity) and Zak Hardaker (York Knights) moving on to pastures new, they may now dip back into the recruitment market for an outside back.
As reported earlier this month, they are understood to be signing Connor Barley from Goole Vikings as an understudy to Harvey Barron and Lewis Martin, but a third out and out centre may now be required.
Hull are currently up to their full complement of quota players (ten). However, more movement is expected between now and the start of pre-season as a new-look squad shapes up under incoming head coach Steve McNamara and co.