Sale Sharks club captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe will leave at the end of the current season.

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The Argentine (pictured) joined the club in the summer of 2006, linking up with brother Ignacio who has since left for Northampton Saints.

Director of rugby Kingsley Jones said: "Juan has decided to take up a new challenge in France, but he leaves with our good wishes and he desperately wants to win something with Sale Sharks before he leaves.

"We have done everything we possibly can to keep Juan at the club but we can't compete with the market in France where there is no salary cap."

Lobbe is expected to link up with Philippe Saint-Andre, who signed him for Sale, with Toulon.