Star Knights recruit Jesse Ramien granted release after falling out with coach Nathan Brown

Jesse Ramien’s exit from Newcastle hasn’t stopped rival clubs from queuing up for the star centre with four teams already keen on the out of favour flyer.

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Jesse Ramien’s ill-fated stint at Newcastle has not deterred rival teams with a host of Sydney clubs already queuing up to sign the strike centre.

Ramien’s former club Cronulla are keen to lure the 22-year-old back to the Sharks while Canterbury, Wests Tigers and North Queensland have already signalled their interest.

However, the Sharks and Tigers are in a salary cap hole and would need to shed players in order to sign Ramien — but would both be willing to do so to land him.

Cronulla are still hamstrung by a salary cap fine.

Jesse Ramien failed to hit his stride in his short stint in Newcastle.

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The Daily Telegraph broke the story on Thursday that Ramien’s stint at Newcastle had come to a dramatic end despite having a year remaining on his contract.

Ramien has the option of playing out the season in the Super League but that is unlikely given he is on full pay at the Knights.

Coach Nathan Brown put an end to months of speculation over his once-prized recruit when he confronted Ramien after training on Wednesday and told him he was free to leave the club immediately.

Ramien accepted the offer and was officially granted permission to negotiate with other clubs. Newcastle players had the day off yesterday but Ramien is not expected at training today.

Knights officials had grown agitated with speculation about Ramien’s future, including suggestions family members had been calling rival clubs on his behalf for 2020.

Jesse Ramien never really looked comfortable in Newcastle.

Brown would not comment when contacted but will front a press conference Friday.

The angst between Ramien and the club had been building for months. While the decision was not personal and there are no suggestions of any off-field wrongdoing by Ramien, quite simply the off-season move wasn’t working.

The tensions began when Ramien was struggling to get into the game as the Knights’ attack failed to ignite at the start of the year. But in recent weeks the Knights have privately questioned Ramien’s desire, including a shocking performance when the Sydney Roosters thumped them 48-10.

It is a dramatic fall from grace for Ramien, who was on the Origin radar 12 months ago after starring for Cronulla.

There was also conjecture about his contract — said to be about $600,000 for two seasons. He could earn about $450,000 on the open market.

Ramien was among four players including Danny Levi, Herman Ese’ese and Jamie Buhrer who Brown axed this week in a bid to save the Knights’ season.

Levi and Ese’ese have also been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs. The pair have spoken with the Bulldogs while Buhrer has been told he is free to move on next year.

After being entrenched in the top eight since round 10, the Knights have slumped to ninth on the competition ladder on the back of a four-match losing streak.

It doesn’t get any easier when they play Manly at Lottoland on Saturday.