Dowson discusses Saints' desire to extend Lions star Smith's contract

But the black, green and gold boss knows the demand is high for a fly-half he labels 'one of the best players in the world'.

Smith's Saints contract runs until the summer of 2026, but Dowson would love to keep him at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens for far longer.

The 23-year-old has emerged as one of the top 10s in the world game, and he will go on his first British & Irish Lions tour this summer.

Smith is now a key player for club and country, and he helped Saints to claim Gallagher Premiership glory in the 2023/24 season before steering them to the Investec Champions Cup final last time round.

He has racked up 589 points in 63 appearances for Saints since joining the club from Worcester Warriors in October 2022.

And Dowson says Saints continue to work on trying to keep him at the Gardens beyond next season.

"He's with us next year and obviously we're desperate to keep him because he's one of the best players in the world," Dowson told BBC Radio Northampton’s Saints Show.

"He's so incredibly driven and will continue to improve.

"We're in the process of trying to do that (extend Smith's current contract), we'd love to do that.

"Clearly there's financial implications to that because the supply of world-class, young, English fly-halves who are the best in the world are limited, and therefore the demand is quite high for him - and it should be because he's earned all those plaudits and accolades.

"We have to make sure that we put that (contract offer) together from a balanced financial point of view to make sure we can get enough people around him so we can be really competitive.

"We want to keep Fin.

"Certainly my impression is that he enjoys it at the club and he's surrounded by good mates but short careers and agents and stuff - we've got to try to work through that."

Smith and Saints team-mates Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman are now with the Lions, preparing for a game against Argentina in Dublin on Friday (kick-off 8pm).