Rivals clubs reportedly see contracted Melbourne star Clayton Oliver as "gettable" despite the midfielder having six years to run on his contract with the Demons.
Oliver's past 12 months have been well documented, with the premiership ball-winner facing a number of issues off-field as well as injury and health matters that have plagued his ability on it.
Clubs last off-season had asked questions of the 26-year-old's future and showed an interest in whether the Demons would be open to parting ways with their four-time best and fairest winner.
Key Melbourne figures held talks with Oliver over his expectations following their 2023 campaign, with the Demons midfielder remaining with the club to begin the first year of his lucrative seven-year deal.
Oliver would miss most of the pre-season due to health concerns and would stunningly make a return in time for the Demons' season opener against Sydney in March, with the Demons gun playing in every game this year.
Rival clubs reportedly see Oliver as an attainable trade target in 2024 however, with external interest in Mooroopna junior's services expected to rise again this year.
According to Footy Classified's Tom Morris, rivals "believe that [Oliver] is gettable", with any deal for the Demons ace expected to make him "the highest paid player at the club" he moves to.
"There has been a lot of chat between other clubs and among other clubs that I've spoken to over the past few days around Clayton Oliver. They believe that he is gettable," Morris said on Monday.
"I've spoken to the Demons today, they fiercely deny this. They say that Clayton Oliver is going nowhere, he's got six years remaining on a lucrative deal and they like the way he's playing.
"His seven-year deal, which he is almost one year through, is worth about $10 million including the TPP (total player payments) uplift. It's a lucrative deal.
"If he did leave Melbourne at the end of the year, or in future years, he would probably be the highest paid player at the club he goes to.
"I can't see how a deal gets done with another club, but other clubs are telling me it's absolutely on."
Oliver is one of several Demons players tied to long-term deals with the club, with Christian Petracca (2029), Jacob van Rooyen (2029), Jake Lever (2028), Trent Rivers (2027) and Kysaiah Pickett (2027) all penned to the club on lengthy contracts.
Oliver has played 179 games for Melbourne for a return of 152 Brownlow Votes prior to this season.
The former Pick 4 selection has won two AFLCA Champion Player of the Year gongs, three All-Australian selections, four best and fairest awards and helped lead the Demons to their drought-breaking premiership in 2021.