# Salary cap probe could force Cronulla Sharks to cut star signing Shaun Johnson
The Cronulla Sharks face the prospect of being without star signing Shaun Johnson for the start of the NRL season as the salary cap investigation drags on.[Brent Read from the Australian reports)
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg informed the club this week that the outcome of the probe may not be known until the end of February.
It would leave the club with little time to become salary cap compliant, should they be hit with a substantial penalty as has been widely speculated.
Johnson could also be forced into the open market with the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers among the limited options available due to salary cap space.
The Eels offloaded playmaker Corey Norman in the off season while the Tigers are confident of overturning a $640,000 salary cap penalty handed to the club over Robbie Farah’s role as an ambassador.
Read reports there is mounting speculation the salary cap issues at the Sharks are worse than first thought with interviews with players and staff only being completed this week.
The Sharks came under the scrutiny of the NRL in August after self-reporting potential third party breaches uncovered during a club-initiated governance review.