One NRL club is reportedly interested in Clinton Gutherson's services as his future at the Parramatta Eels continues to be clouded in uncertainty following the arrival of Isaiah Iongi from the Penrith Panthers.
Iongi's arrival at the Eels on a three-year contract has created a dilemma for incoming coach Jason Ryles, as he is all but certain to wear the number one jersey next season.
His arrival has further fueled rumours that Gutherson may be on the lookout for a new team despite being the club's skipper and earning around $950,000 per season.
Although he has revealed in the past that he is more than happy to move positions to either the wing or centres, he has continually been linked with an exit from the club as the Eels look to rebuild under Ryles.
This has already seen the trio Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Ryan Matterson and Maika Sivo permitted to negotiate with rival teams and exit the club. Shaun Lane and Daejarn Asi have also been linked with an early exit.
Speaking onย Six Tackles with Gus, Phil Gould confirmed that there has been a lot of talk surrounding the future of Gutherson, and one club is "making noise" that they want to recruit him away from Parramatta.
"It will be interesting to see what happens with Gutherson. There's a fair bit of scuttle around as to whether or not he moves from Parramatta," Gould said.
"But this is the sort of stuff that's going on behind the scenes everywhere, clubs looking to change their roster and move on.
"I'm just saying that there are clubs out there inquiring as to whether or not he'll be available.
"One club in particular is actually making noise that they want him."
A valuable piece of the roster, Gould admitted that he would be perplexed and "shocked" if he ended up leaving the Eels, but stranger things have happened in the game of rugby league.
Arriving at the club in 2016 from the Manly Sea Eagles, the skipper has appeared in 204 matches for the Eels, scoring 92 tries and 671 points in the process.
He played five matches and scored four tries during his three-season stint with the Sea Eagles between 2013 and 2015.
"He's a leader, he's competitive. I can't understand why Parramatta wouldn't want him," Gould added.
"If I was going to Parramatta as a new coach, he'd be the first bloke I'd sit down and talk to to find out what's happening there, what's going on, and where they need to go.
"It would be hard to imagine Parramatta going without him.
"I think that's been recognised by other clubs who are looking at a new coach going there, the shuffling of their roster...what's gonna happen to Gutho? Where's he going to go?
"They've got Brown and Mitchell Moses in the halves. They bought Zac Lomax, who we assume is going to play centre.
"I'd be shocked if he left Parramatta, but it's a funny game, rugby league."
