Tuesday's official confirmation that Juan Martin Hernández has signed for ambitious Racing-Métro 92 continues the raft of big-name transfers heading to Top 14 in 2010/11.

In Hernandez's case it is a welcome return to Paris just one year after being ushered out by Stade Francais, where he had spent a trophy-laden five seasons. The Argentine international has signed on for two years initially, with the option of a third year.

The 27-year-old, nicknamed 'El Magico', adds further glamour to a club that already boasts the likes of Lionel Nallet, Sébastien Chabal and Francois Steyn. There is also little doubt that the sky blue and whites have now usurped Hernández's former club as the current top dogs in Paris.

Their sixth-placed finished guarantees them Heineken Cup rugby next season - something Stade have missed out on for the first time in a decade - while multi-millionaire owner Jacky Lorenzetti has confirmed that next season's budget has been increased to €17m.

This week's show of financial muscle - they have also announced a further nine signings, including France winger Benjamin Fall - is also in stark contrast to news that Stade's players have agreed a 3% wage cut to ease the club's current cash crisis.

To further rub salt in their neighbours' noses Racing have snatched Italian winger Mirco Bergamasco from across the city and have confirmed plans to follow Max Guazzini's lead by hosting several home games at the Stade de France next season.

Toulon have also been active in the transfer market already as they seek to further strengthen their already star-laden squad. England winger Paul Sackey and All Blacks prop Carl Hayman are the standout new arrivals so far confirmed at the Cote d'Azur club, while head coach Philippe Saint-André has also gone back to his old club Sale Sharks to snaffle Dean Schofield.

Brive, on the other hand, have opted for a radical change of recruitment policy after two seasons of buying almost exclusively from abroad. The reduced financial input of Daniel Derichebourg, a change of head coach - Ugo Mola succeeding the sacked Laurent Seigne - and failure to qualify for next season's Heineken Cup has resulted in a reduction of both the club's budget (down between 15-20%) and its playing staff (from 37 to 32).

England centre Riki Flutey has returned to London Wasps after failing to make an impact - except on the club's budget - and Brive's recruitment has been suitably low key as a result. Argentine winger Horacio Agulla has departed for Leicester Tigers, South African prop Scott Zimmerman has joined the Racing revolution, while Arnaud Pic is off to Oyonnax. Ireland's Christian Short has also been released.

In their place have come have come Bourgoin's Pablo Cardinali, Montauban's Régis Lespinas, Stade Toulousain duo Mathieu Bélie (who was on loan at Montauban) and Julien Ledevedec, and Nice's Julien Caminati.

Two sides experiencing sharply contrasting close seasons are Bayonne and Montauban, with the former apparently trying to spend its way back to success, while the latter is seemingly powerless to hold on to its players after declaring bankruptcy - and thus relegation to ProD2.

Seven Montauban players have already departed - including Vilimoni Delasau to Stade Toulousain - while Bayonne have confirmed 10 new arrivals - including former All Black Troy Flavell, Bourgoin fly-half Benjamin Boyet and the Stormers' Joe Pietersen.

Elsewhere, Biarritz have united the Lund brothers in Basque country after signing Erik from Leeds to play alongside Magnus, while Perpignan and Stade Toulousain have both been measured in their confirmed transfers so far. Defending champions Perpignan have snapped up Albi's impressive scrum-half Kevin Boulogne, while Stade have continued their penchant for pocketing future stars by tempting Boulogne's highly-rated wing compatriot Pierre-Gilles Lakafia.

Clermont Auvergne have confirmed the arrivals of Waikato number eight Sione Lauaki and the Crusaders Ti'i Paulo, after a seemingly successful mid-season trip back home by Kiwi coach Vern Cotter.

And it's not just players who have been busy swapping club's, as Cotter himself is aware having signed up Perpignan backs coach Franck Azema to replace the departing Joe Schmidt. Stade Francais will welcome current Leinster boss Michael Cheika, while Albi's long-serving Eric Béchu has resurfaced at Montpellier and Bayonne have tempted in Dax's Thomas Lièvremont.

The comprehensive list of what's already been confirmed is shown below, but it's bound to be updated as further moves are announced in the coming weeks. ProD2 champions SU Agen will undoubtedly be looking to strengthen, along with the division's play-off winners, while rumours continue to swirl about possible arrivals in Perpignan and Stade Francais.

We wait with baited breath...