Stade Toulousain's Frédéric Michalak is being linked with a surprise move to Bayonne this summer following a disappointing return season with the defending Top 14 champions.

Michalak, 26, has struggled to cement a starting place with the French giants this season after re-signing following a season away with the Sharks in South Africa.

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The versatile international can play either scrum-half or fly-half, but his opportunities have been limited this year due to the combined form of Byron Kelleher, David Skrela and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde.

And when he has played his form has been inconsistent, leading to him being continually overlooked by France coach Marc Lièvremont, who views him primarily as a No 9.

The 50-times capped star didn't even make it on to the stand-by list for Les Bleus' summer tour to New Zealand and Australia, slipping down in the pecking order behind Morgan Parra, Sebastien Tillous-Borde, Julien Dupuy and Dimitri Yachvili.

Reports in France claim Michalak is frustrated by his lack of playing time and will consider his future following the Top 14 play-offs, with Stade Toulousain taking on Clermont Auvergne in the first semi-final on Friday evening.

Should Michalak fail to make the starting XV in that match, or the subsequent final should Toulouse go through, then it appears he will open discussions about a possible transfer. Bayonne have been touted as a possible destination, with Irish side Leinster also reportedly in the hunt, following the departure of Felipe Contepomi to Toulon.

Stade Toulousain are not usually in the business of letting top quality players go, and coach Guy Noves said he had "absolutely no intention" to allow Michalak to leave. The player himself claimed the red and black of Toulouse ran through his veins when he returned the club at the start of the season, but with only limited game time it appears that bond is now weakening.

His goal-kicking has been poor this season, leading the Toulouse-born player to be booed by his home crowd on several occasions.

He has, at least, been named in Stade Toulousain's 30-strong squad for Friday's semi-final against Clermont Auvergne. The defending champions were forced to leave out injured back-row forward Finau Maka, as well as Julien Ledevedec.

Stade Toulouse squad:
Forwards: Lecouls, Poux, Human, Perugini, Montès, Servat, Lacombe, Vernet-Basualdo, Pelous, Millo-Chluski, Albacete, Lamboley, Bouilhou, Dusautoir, Nyanga, Sowerby.
Backs: Elissalde, Kelleher, Michalak, Skrela, Du Toit, Jauzion, Fritz, Kunavore, Ahotaeiloa, Donguy, Médard, Clerc, Heymans, Poitrenaud.

Clermont Auvergne, who named a 28-man squad last week, have now confirmed that former Saracens player Brent Russell will not be fit in time after failing to recover in time from a sprained left ankle.

Winger Julien Malzieu also remains doubtful, with a decision on his participation expected during the week.

Michalak's international rival Dupuy, meanwhile, has confirmed that he will be leaving Leicester Tigers this summer to return to France - although it remains unclear to which club.

Dupuy - called up for the first time by Lièvremont for France's summer tour - has long been linked with a transfer to Stade Francais, despite having a year left on his contract at Leicester.

The Guinness Premiership champions had been hoping to hang on to the highly-rated scrum-half, but now appear to have conceded defeat after Dupuy made it clear he wanted to return to France for personal reasons - his girlfriend failed to settle in England and has already returned.

"I want to go back to France - my life is there," the 27-year-old told the Leicester Mercury. "I will be sad to leave the club and I have enjoyed my time here. Richard Cockerill has been fantastic and it was a great season winning the Guinness Premiership - but that's it."

The former Biarritz player said he was uncertain which club he would join in France, with Stade Francais or Perpignan appearing his most likely destination.

"I don't know what is going to happen yet. We will see over the next few days because we have had the European final and that was the important thing. You will see me in the Heineken Cup next season, but I'm not sure who with," he added.

That would leave just Stade Toulousain, Clermont Auvergne, Perpignan, Stade Francais, Biarritz and Brive as possible clubs.

If he joins Stade Francais he will become the second Leicester Tigers to do so following the arrival of fellow French international Benjamin Kayser, who officially signed a two-year contract on Monday to rejoin the club he left two season ago.