Parramatta coach Brad Arthur says he was devastated to have to ask Nathan Peats to leave the club to solve their salary cap woes.

Peats was having coffee with his former Eels teammates on Thursday morning after agreeing to an 18-month contract with the Titans overnight, all but assuring the club can now play for competition points.

“As a coach and as a mate, we’re pretty devastated by it. But a tough decision had to be made,” Arthur said on Thursday.