The hugely talented 26-year-old is out of contract at the end of 2024 and can negotiate with other clubs about a future move. A potential $1 million per season salary has been mooted for a player who is yet to prove he can carry a team's playmaking responsibilities on his shoulders.
Cleary has now had his say on the matter, suggesting that any teams considering splashing the cash on Luai would be taking a huge gamble given his lack of experience in that position.
"If any club wants to give him the money you're talking - the money that he would maybe consider leaving for โ it would have to be for that kind of role,โ Cleary said.
โI can understand that. Is he ready for that? That's the question mark, I would think.
"Could he do it? I'm sure he could do it. Has he done it? No, he hasn't. He's done a little bit with Samoa, of course, at last year's World Cup, but generally speaking in this team he's had his role to play and it's slightly different. I guess that's a risk that everyone would have to take."
Cleary undoubtedly knows the time of day when it comes to judging talent in the NRL having helped the Panthers become the scourge of online bookmakers in recent seasons.
Three successive Grand Final victories for the Panthers have provided punters with sizeable payouts from NRL betting sites and they are the favourites to make it four-in-a-row next year.
While losing Luai would leave Cleary with a significant hole in his squad, he insists he has no concerns with the player exploring his future options during the close season.
"He's one of those players where it's not a clear market because everyone is always looking for high-quality halves and he's definitely one of those,โ Cleary added. โIt's a matter of him now getting what's out there, checking it out and coming back to us.
"I won't be telling him to do anything. He knows what we think of him. I personally believe he belongs here. We're good for him and he's good for us.
โBut there's no doubt if the offers are where we are hearing - before today they're all just maybes. Once they're actually concrete, he can understand more about what decision needs to be made."
The Panthers have reportedly offered Luai a two-year, $1.7 million deal to remain with the club until the end of the 2026 season, but he has decided to test the market to see what options are available to him.
The club has told Luai they are unable to get into a bidding war for him, with several players currently on big-money contracts with the reigning NRL champions.
They include Nathan Cleary, who is currently paid around $1.3m per year.ย James Fisher-Harris ($950,000). Dylan Edwards ($850,000) and Liam Martin ($750,000) are among the Panthers' other high-earners.
Several respected pundits have tipped Luai to remain with the Panthers after he recently purchased a new family home in Penrith. However, if another team offered an annual wage rise of $300,000 or more it could prove impossible to ignore.
Having established himself as Nathan Cleary's right-hand man with the Panthers, Luai may feel he needs to prove he can handle leading a team in his own right. His coach is not so sure.
"I think that's high performance," Ivan Cleary said. "You have to take risks and you're always trying to improve. I don't know the answer to that. I know he has a very strong and influential role here, which he's good at. We'd like him to continue.
"We've made it pretty clear what we can afford. There are always things you can do and maybe you can't do. I want to make it really clear that we want him to stay. And I'm pretty sure he wants to stay as well. But yeah, money talks, so we'll see."
Leaving the Panthers would undoubtedly be a big step for Luai, particularly given the club's dominance in the NRL in recent seasons.
Their on-field success has resulted in the club securing a major sponsorship deal with smart home systems specialists MyPlace for the next three years. The new agreement is reportedly worth 35% more than their big deals of midway through last decade.
The influx of cash will potentially make it easier for the Panthers to tempt Luai with a longer contract than the two-year deal currently on the table, although the club has insisted the salary they have offered will not increase.
Salary cap restrictions mean they must tread extremely carefully with Luai as several other players have contracts which expire at the end of 2024.
Another factor which could help the Panthers' cause is the number of former players who have left the club in recent years only to find the grass is not greener elsewhere. When coupled with a potential positional switch, Luai could take a gamble which ultimately impacts his international and State of Origin ambitions.
It is also worth noting that while the Panthers want to retain Luai's services, they would not find it too difficult to replace him. Jack Cole has been touted as a future Panthers star, although they may not want to rush him this early in his career.
Adam Doueihi could be a cost-effective alternative if Luai decides to jump ship, and his addition would allow the Panthers to integrate Cole into the first-team more slowly.
Plenty of NRL teams will be interested in signing Luai, but the Panthers may have pitched their latest offer at a high enough rate to tempt him into staying.
