Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has given the best indication yet that Suns co-captain will depart the club at season's end.
Richmond, Collingwood and Hawthorn have all expressed their interest in Lynch, and reports are suggesting it's a three-horse race, with the Tigers currently leading the charge for the 25-year-old key forward.
With Lynch now in Melbourne following surgery to repair his injured knee, Dew spoke to the media on Wednesday morning, and seemed resigned to the fact Lynch had played his last game in the red and yellow.
"I think history suggests that if you don't know at round 18, and he's our captain, it's not looking great, but that's the reality of AFL footy," Dew told reporters on Wednesday morning.
"We're certainly planning for both (scenarios)."
Lynch is yet to speak publicly about his future, and instead was interested in letting his footy do that talking.
With his season now over, the key forward now has time to think about his next move, which more than likely brings him to Melbourne.
Lynch has played 131 games for the Suns, and has 254 career goals to his name.
