George North: Dragons to hold transfer talks with Wales and Lions wing

George North has played 69 times for Wales and scored 30 tries

Wales wing George North will hold transfer talks with the Dragons during the next month.

The British and Irish Lions player will leave English side Northampton Saints and return to Wales on a national dual contract at the end of the season.

The Dragons are the first of the four Welsh regions to confirm negotiations have begun with the 25-year-old.

"I think the plan is to meet him over Christmas or in the early New Year," said Dragons coach Bernard Jackman.

"He's in no rush. He's coming back to Wales, which is an amazing coup for the WRU [Welsh Rugby Union]. He's in no rush to meet any of us - he can take his time.

"When the opportunity arises, we'll meet him, which I'm sure most if not all of the regions will and have a chat with him and see if our project is of interest to him.

"We would love to have him. He's a world-class player and a world-class bloke."

North broke through into the senior Scarlets side in 2010, before he departed to join Northampton in 2013, while Ospreys and Cardiff Blues would also be interested in signing him.

Dragons have already announced that fellow Lion Ross Moriarty will join next season from Gloucester.

The Gwent region have also recruited Welsh international Rhodri Williams for next season, while his Bristol team-mates Ryan Bevington and Jordan Williams are also understood to have signed.

Having made those additions and with plans to make further signings, Jackman believes the Dragons are creating a domino effect whereby the arrival of one high-profile player convinces another to sign.

"It does. We announced Rhodri Williams from Bristol a month ago and I think he's going to be a cracking signing," the former Ireland hooker added.

"Maybe because he's been playing in England people have lost touch with his form but he's coming back to Wales a far better player than he was when he left and he was a very good player leaving.

"Ross is a great signing and Rhodri is a really good coup for us to get and, if he can be first choice for the Dragons, I think he could force his way into Welsh reckoning for the World Cup."