Manu is currently playing in the French rugby union top-flight competition for Racing 92 on an estimated $1.6m per season.
That is roughly double what Manu was on at the Roosters during his final season, leaving very few NRL clubs with the spending power to match the cashed-up Chiefs.
PNG have not been afraid of splashing the cash as they play with what is expected to be a $15m salary cap in 2028, all of which will be tax-free for their players as an incentive to attract a competitive inaugural playing squad to the Pacific nation.
The 30-year-old New Zealander scored just one try in 22 competitive games for Racing in the 2025/26 and has been looking for options to return home to the NRL, two years after he ended a 181-game tenure at the Sydney Roosters, winning back-to-back Premierships in 2018 and 2019.
Manu will join the Chiefs on a two-year deal for the 2028 and 2029 seasons and is now reportedly seeking a mid-year return to the NRL in 2027, once the 2026/27 French Top 14 season concludes in May-June.
The move means that Manu will be closer to his family in New Zealand.
According to sources, the New Zealand Warriors sought Manu's services on a stop-gap basis this year, but were rejected by Manu who favoured a break instead.
The announcement comes as no surprise one month after Manu was spotted on a flight with Chiefs football boss Michael Chammas as he toured the facilities.
Chammas hailed Manu as "a world-class footballer with versatility across several positions and can change a game in a single moment with the skills he possesses.
“His experience and demonstrated success at the highest level will be a great benefit to our team and we can’t wait to see him have a significant impact in the Chiefs jersey."
PNG Chiefs CEO Lorna McPherson said Manu's "connection to the Pacific, his character, experience and standing in the game will have a profound impact on our club."
"He understands the responsibility that comes with representing something bigger than himself, and we believe he can have a genuine impact on our young players and the next generation of Papua New Guineans – who we are proud to represent as a club."
Aaron Murphy has been with Flashscore since 2018 and, as the founding editor of the Australian newsdesk, has reported on-site at several major events in Melbourne including the Australian Open, State of Origin, A-League, NBL and international cricket. You can read his pieces here and contact him on X or LinkedIn.
