Gregor Townsend remains in talks with Scottish Rugby regarding a new contract amid a report linking him with a move to Newcastle Red Bulls. The Scotland head coach’s current deal expires in April next year and he has already held preliminary discussions with Alex Williamson, Scottish Rugby’s chief executive, about extending. Williamson has made it clear he would like Townsend to stay and the pair spoke about a new contract during Scotland’s summer tour without reaching a conclusion. The Scotsman understands that Scottish Rugby would like to have the deal done before the autumn Test series which begins in November and will see Scotland play the USA, New Zealand, Argentina and Tonga at Murrayfield. The issue of Townsend’s future has been thrown into sharp focus by the Newcastle link. It has been reported by the Telegraph that he is a “potential target” to become the club’s director of rugby ahead of the 2026-27 season. Newcastle, who were recently acquired by Red Bull, are looking for a new coaching figurehead to take over the season after next, according to the report. Steve Diamond, the experienced English coach who had a short spell at Edinburgh two years ago, is their current director of rugby. The takeover by Red Bull has seen the club change its name from Newcastle Falcons and there is clearly a desire to reinvigorate a team that has finished bottom of the English Premiership in each of the last two seasons. Newcastle, who refused to comment on the report, are starting to make significant moves in the transfer market and the fresh investment is likely to make the DoR job attractive. Geographically, it could also appeal to Townsend who is based in the Borders. The 52-year-old is Scotland’s longest-serving coach of the professional era - and also the most successful in terms of win ratio. He has been in post since summer 2017 and taken charge of 94 Test matches, winning 53, drawing one and losing 40. Major success has eluded him, however. Third place has been Scotland’s best finish in the Six Nations under Townsend, something he has achieved twice. They also failed to qualify from the pool stage of the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and 2023. There have been notable wins against the likes of France, Australia and, most impressively of all, England who Scotland beat four years in a row in the Six Nations between 2021 and 2024. Townsend has been guarded about his future in recent months. Speaking after the conclusion of the Six Nations in March, he said: “I still feel a massive privilege being in this role. It gives me a big purpose in my life.” Quizzed again at the end of the summer tour, he was evasive when asked if he wanted to remain in the job beyond the current contract but he did confirm he expected more talks with Williamson. “I'd imagine they'll start to happen but the focus has been on this week, the short turnaround, the Test matches we've had,” Townsend said in July. “Alex has been with us for the last three games now so he's seen how our environment works, what a Test week looks like and the players we have and the culture we have. After the summer, we'll look into that again.” The brand of rugby played by Scotland under Townsend has won many admirers and it is not surprising that he has suitors. With his contract due to expire shortly it would also be the coach’s own interests to explore other options. Ahead of his last contract renewal, in January 2023, Townsend was linked with an assistant coach’s role with the France national team. The move never materialised and the former stand-off signed a new deal in May of that year which tied him to the Scotland job until April 2026. Townsend has not been involved in club rugby since 2017 when he left Glasgow Warriors to take the Scotland job. His five-year stint in charge saw him guide Glasgow to the Pro12 title in 2015, the first major honour won by a Scottish team in the professional era. A change of environment after eight years at the helm of the national team may hold some appeal to Townsend but he will also feel he has unfinished business in the World Cup. The chance to have a third crack at the tournament as head coach when it is staged in Australia in 2027 may be too hard to resist for Townsend who is entitled to feel hard done by in terms of the draw Scotland had in France in 2023. The competition will be expanded to 24 teams in 2027 and Scotland are likely to be ranked higher when the draw is made in December than they were last time around which should give them a far better chance of making progress.