FIJIAN international Niki Little is in talks with Worcester Rugby Club over a move to Sixways.

The 24-year-old is top of Worcester's shopping list to replace Earl Va'a at fly-half after the Samoan was released last month.

Little, who spent two seasons at Sale Sharks, is determined not to return to the Manchester club after losing his first-team spot to Charlie Hodgson.

Worcester are hoping to tie up the deal later today but with interest from a number of French clubs, the National One outfit face a battle for his signature.

Little played in Fiji's weekend win over Samoa in the Pacific Rim Series but will be available to join up for Worcester's pre-season preparations which begin next week.

The Sixways club had been chasing Ebbw Vale's highly-rated stand-off Jason Strange until Newport stepped in to snatch the former Welsh international from under their noses last week.

Worcester chairman Cecil Duckworth said: "John Brain has been very impressed with Niki and rates him very highly.

"He is still relatively young for an established international and of course has vital Premiership experience.

"Defensively, he is very strong and will fit in with the style of play we want to adopt next season.

"I think Sale wanted to encourage English talent in that position and that is why he was number two to Hodgson for the second half of last season."

If a move for Little falls through, Worcester will move for out-of-contract Craig Chalmers who was released by Glasgow Caledonians last month.

The 32-year-old enjoyed a loan spell at Harlequins last season but is now searching for a new club after Quins failed to make the move permanent.

Chalmers moved to The Stoop in November last year due to the club's injury crisis at fly-half.

He played in quarter-final and semi-final victories in Tetley's Bitter Cup to earn an extension of the loan period.