Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes is of the belief that Magpies star Jordan De Goey might have just the "two or three" clubs interested in his services this year as he remains out-of-contract at the Holden Centre.
De Goey has been embroiled in a New York court case following charges of assault from October last year, with the 25-year-old having now returned to training at Collingwood after being stood down by the club until the case was resolved.
The latest off-field indiscretion has further damaged De Goey's stocks in the midst of a contract year for the mercurial Magpie, who was believed to be on the end of a mammoth seven-figure, five-year offer from North Melbourne in 2018.
Collingwood great Tony Shaw previously flagged that every club in the league would show some level of interest in De Goey's services given his pedigree and calibre in the competition.
However, Cornes is of the opposite belief, believing the number of interested suitors would have depleted dramatically over the course of the last several months.
Despite a career-best campaign last year and a near-unparalleled ability to play both tall and small in the forward line and midfield, free agency options may be running out for De Goey this year.
“He is the commodity that every AFL club wants," Cornes said on SEN.
"You want that big-bodied powerful player that can win contested footy, but can also do damage in the forward half of the ground.
“Clubs get sucked in by that. They get sucked in by the undeniable talent.
“Tony Shaw said 17 other clubs will want De Goey, I’m not sure about that. It might be as little as two or three would give De Goey another opportunity.
“Will he ever reach his talent? He’s 25, time’s running out I reckon, it’s a huge year for him.”
Midfielder
Disposals
Goals
Clearances
De Goey averaged career-best numbers for possessions and clearances in 2021 after gaining greater exposure in midfield, while still booting 23 goals for the season
The 118-gamer joins the likes of Darcy Moore, Jamie Elliott, Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe in being without a deal past this year.