Henry Slade: Bath transfer rumours incorrect, says Exeter's Rob Baxter

Henry Slade has won four caps for England, scoring one try

Exeter head coach Rob Baxter says he and Henry Slade have laughed about rumours linking the England back with a summer move to Premiership rivals Bath.

Slade has begun to recapture the form he showed before he broke his leg against Wasps in December 2015.

The 23-year-old has been linked as replacement for George Ford, who has been tipped to leave the Rec.

"I've had a couple of chats with Henry and we've had a bit of a joke about the rumours flying around," said Baxter.

He told BBC Sport: "There is no truth in the rumour about him having any interest in going to Bath."

In July, Slade agreed a deal with the Chiefs until 2019.

England head coach Eddie Jones was critical of Slade's form late last season, saying it was difficult to judge if he had the quality to be a Test player because of the position he was starting for Exeter.

"Also, if he does end up playing at 10 it won't be because we're being told by Eddie Jones that he needs to play at 10," added Baxter of versatile Slade, who has predominantly played at centre for the Chiefs because of the form of fly-half and captain Gareth Steenson.

"And he won't be playing 10 because I'm worried that if we don't play him at 10 he'll go and play for Bath because they're losing George Ford.

"It's not unsettling to us as a club, to me or to Henry. I don't believe for one instance it's unsettling for Bath or the other clubs that get linked into their rumours.

"I don't know anything about the George Ford scenario, but Bath will know what's going on.

"It won't be unsettling for them about what's happening with George Ford because they'll know exactly what the scenario is, just like us it's not unsettling for me to read anything about Henry because I know he's under contract here, I know he's fully committed to us, he's desperate to do things for us, play well for us and to win things."