Viliame Kikau [Source: NRL]

It will be hard to keep Fiji Bati forward Viliame Kikau at Penrith after next season due to salary cap pressures according to the club.

News Corp reports that Kikau’s market value has skyrocketed in recent seasons and he’s set to receive offers of $900,000 a year.

The 26-year-old comes off contract after 2022 and can be approached by rival clubs from November 1.

Penrith’s salary has been chewed up by Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and James Fisher-Harris, with the club admitting Kikau would need to take significantly less to stay.

Some in the NRL world claim Kikau is worth $700,000 to $750,000 but other clubs are reportedly willing to give him $900,000 a season, possibly even $1m.

At the moment clubs with money to spend include Canberra, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers have all been linked to Kikau.

According to recent Australian media reports, the Bulldogs are also after Kikau as the club’s general manager of football Phil Gould shares a history and strong relationship with the big Fijian.

[Source: News Corp]