Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley is reported to be joining Montpellier © Getty Images

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Northampton Saints' captain Dylan Hartley is set for a move to French Top 14 side Montpellier after the 2015 World Cup, according to reports in Rugbyrama in France.

Hooker Hartley's contract is up at the end of the 2014-15 season and he is said to have visited Montpellier to view the club's facilities and is set to sign a three-year deal beginning at the conclusion of the 2015 World Cup in England.

Such a move would likely signal the end of Hartley's international career due to the RFU's policy of not selecting players based outside of England. Hartley will be 29 by the World Cup and is currently the most experienced player in Stuart Lancaster's England squad. If he passes mandatory concussion tests (he suffered a head knock in England's loss to the All Blacks on Saturday), he will win his 59th cap against South Africa at Twickenham this weekend.

Lancaster knew nothing of his first choice hooker's possible move and said he had not discussed the issue with Hartley.

"This is the first I've heard about it," Lancaster said. "I have not discussed that with him or anything about his contract. And it has definitely not been mentioned in camp."

"I'm sure if a player had a decision to make about France, then they would come and see me. Not one player has come to see me. With all the young players we see as being the future of the England team beyond this World Cup, there is no indication whatsoever that anyone is considering anything other than staying to play in England."

New Zealand-born Hartley has captained Northampton since 2009 and in that time Saints have won the Aviva Premiership, reached the Heineken Cup Final and won both the Amlin Challenge Cup and LV Cup.

According to the Daily Mail, Hartley may not be the only Saint on the way out after the World Cup. Reports claim that American No.8 Samu Manoa has agreed to join Toulon and that Castres are interested in Samoan centre George Pisi.