Carter's Dunedin-based manager, Warren Alcock, confirmed to the Otago Daily Times yesterday the Canterbury playmaker was likely to finalise a new three-year deal with the NZRU by Friday at the earliest.
Carter is also likely to utilise the six-month sabbatical clause offered by the NZRU and play for a French club after the All Blacks' Grand Slam tour of Britain later this year, missing the Crusaders' Super 14 campaign next year but returning for the 2010 and 2011 tournaments. [comment caption=How important is Dan Carter to NZ's chances in 2011?]
He is in negotiations with wealthy French club Toulon, but Alcock revealed another French club was also chasing his signature.
Details were expected to be finalised within a fortnight.
Carter, who is off contract in December, said his main priority during contract negotiations had been to continue playing for the All Blacks and ultimately win the 2011 World Cup on New Zealand soil.
"For that reason I have decided to re-sign with the NZRU, ideally to 2011," Carter said in a statement.
"If selected, I ultimately want to be part of a successful All Black World Cup campaign. It continues to be an honour to represent my country."
Alcock, who also represents All Black captain Richie McCaw, said there had been intensive negotiations with the NZRU since they signalled two weeks ago Carter's intention to re-sign for three years.
Alcock said there was also still some work to do with the French clubs before Carter's six-month sabbatical became a reality.
Alcock and his business partners with The Essentially Group sports management company had taken a three-pronged approach to the deals.
Alcock had been negotiating with the NZRU and Lou Thompson with the French clubs, while Dean Hegan was responsible for Carter's commercial and promotional obligations.
Alcock said negotiating two player contracts for Carter was a complex issue, as they tried to ensure both Carter's and the NZRU's intellectual property was respected.
"If Dan does the sabbatical there are his personal sponsors that we need to protect as much as we can.
"Obviously, if were going to have an ongoing relationship with New Zealand rugby they've got their own intellectual property and sponsors we also need to protect as much as we can. This is all new ground for everyone."
Alcock believed the sabbatical clause was unlikely to start a new trend in New Zealand rugby and would only be offered to the country's elite players.
"For myself, I've understood it to really be for the Dan Carters of this world.
"Let's be honest, they are going to be a very small percentage of New Zealand rugby players.
"I would have thought it will be the very elite New Zealand players who would be offered a sabbatical in the future.
"I'm only guessing but, if this goes well and it turns out to be a positive experience, then they're [the NZRU] more likely to grant it to other players in the future.
"If it turns out to be a negative then you might have the door closed on it. Who knows?"
