Gold Coast Titans star and captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is currently a free agent, but the window for him to make a call on his immediate future is closing.
A clause in his contract relating to Justin Holbrook's job made him a free agent, but the timeline for a call to be made is believed to be mid-October.
Approximately half of the NRL have reportedly expressed interest in the Queensland State of Origin representative, and Fa'asuamaleaui and his management have confirmed they will explore their options before deciding whether to commit to the Gold Coast.
Even if he elects to stay at Robina, he will become effectively a free agent again from November 1, with his contract only in an option state for 2025 and 2026.
But what if he were to leave at the end of this season, taking advantage of the clause in his contract.
There are plenty of sides in the NRL who could use the star forward, but here are the top five options who must be putting everything on the line in pursuit of the forward.
5. Canterbury Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have been linked to anyone and everyone on the free-agent market, and, despite the protests of director of football Phil Gould, Fa'asuamaleaui is another one.
Whether Gould admits it or not, the men from Belmore need another big forward to add to an engine room which has struggled at both ends of the park this year.
Whether Fa'asuamaleaui would leave the Titans to head to Sydney at a club struggling remains to be seen. For all the promises of what the Bulldogs are building, the on-field results have been less than impressive in Cameron Ciraldo's first season.
But the money on offer from Belmore could sway the Origin forward.
Reports recently suggested the club would offer him as much as a million dollars per season - how they fit that in under the salary cap with Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton and Tevita Pangai Junior's big contracts already on the books remains to be seen, but that sort of money could make it hard to say no.
