WALES international Rhys Patchell is on the Dragons' radar as they look to sign another fly-half for next season.

The Rodney Parade club have two senior 10s on the books for 2023/24 – up-and-coming Will Reed and Angus O'Brien, who impressed at full-back for most of last season.

Sam Davies was released and is set to be unveiled by French club Grenoble, who head to Oyonnax on Saturday in a play-off for promotion to the Top 14.

JJ Hanrahan was under contract after arriving last summer from Clermont Auvergne on a hefty three-year deal.

However, an early release was agreed last week and the Irish playmaker has returned home after signing for Connacht.

That frees up room in the budget to add another 10 to go with 21-year-old Reed and O’Brien, who pulled the strings in the final two games of last season.

Ball-playing centre Aneurin Owen played fly-half as a youngster while full-back Jordan Williams has covered in that position in emergencies but the Dragons will look to bring in a specialist before the start of the campaign.

Head coach Dai Flanagan worked with Patchell at the Scarlets and the 30-year-old, who is set to play at Twickenham on Sunday for a World XV against the Barbarians, ticks a lot of boxes.

South Wales Argus: Rhys Patchell training with the World XVRhys Patchell training with the World XV (Image: PA)

He would arrive as first choice but with responsibility for helping in the development of Reed, who made seven starts last season.

Patchell, who was released by the Scarlets due to cost-cutting, is three Wales appearances short of being able to sign for a non-Welsh club and continue his Test career, although he did miss out on Warren Gatland's World Cup training squad.

If the Dragons can sell a Rodney Parade move to him then they would still need to meet his wage demands – which appears to have scuppered a return to Cardiff – but that is helped by getting Hanrahan off the books.

The Dragons have so far made three signings for 2023/24 in flanker Dan Lydiate from the Ospreys and scrum-half Dane Blacker and wing/centre Corey Baldwin from the Scarlets.

They are also in the market for a loosehead prop and lock but will not rush into making those additions with next season’s United Rugby Championship not getting under way until October 21 because of the World Cup.

The Dragons’ regional rivals have had to make bigger budget cuts and they have also lost big earners Will Rowlands and Ross Moriarty along with Davies, Hanrahan, Rob Evans, Huw Taylor, Ioan Davies, Lennon Greggains and Ben Moa.