Ellis Genge is to join England team-mate George Ford in leaving Leicester at the end of the season.
In a shock development, Genge will depart despite helping the resurgent Tigers cement their place at the summit of the Gallagher Premiership and make a winning start to Europe in his first season as club captain.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has overseen an impressive revival at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, but it is not enough to prevent Genge from following Ford out of the East Midlands.
Genge is expected to join home town club Bristol, while Ford had already agreed a move to Sale, who are closer to his Oldham roots, and will be replaced by South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard.
At 26-years-old, combative loosehead prop Genge is still in his prime and Leicester will be reeling from the loss of a second highly-influential player in the space of a month.
He has chosen not to activate an option in his contract to remain beyond the 2021-22 season, having made 96 appearances for Tigers since his debut as a loan signing from Bristol six years ago. The move became permanent for the 2016-17 campaign and he has gone on to win 31 caps and become one of three England vice captains under skipper Owen Farrell.
“This is a personal decision for Ellis which I know has not been easy for him and, while disappointed, we respect his reasons for choosing to depart at season’s end,” Borthwick said.
“It has been a great privilege of mine to work with Ellis over the past five years, first with England and even more closely since I joined the club.
“We have a long way to go this season and Ellis is fully committed to finishing his time at Leicester in the same professional, passionate way he has during his six seasons at the club.”
Genge is one of the Premiership’s most effective carriers and is a fans’ favourite because of his combative nature.
“I’ll be forever grateful for what this club has given me. I’ve created lifelong friendships and learned a great deal,” Genge said.
“The club has been amazing in understanding my reasons for this decision and I will continue to give everything I have got for the boys and the fans of Leicester for the rest of this season.”
