Newcastle are understood to be in discussions with Origin duo Dale Finucane and Dane Gagai, with the star pair still off-contract this season.
The Knights have been linked to Gagai in recent weeks, with a potential reunion between the two parties now building momentum.
Finucane has been closely linked with a number of NSW clubs for 2022, with the Blues forward yet to make a call on his future in Melbourne.
While both the Rabbitohs and Storm are hoping to retain their key players for next season, journalist Dean Ritchie reports that the Knights are making the respective situations a touch more difficult as they circle the veteran duo.
“There are talks that are ongoing regarding Dane Gagai and Dale Finucane,” Ritchie said on The Big Sports Breakfast.
“The Knights are in chats with the pair regarding next season given they are both off-contract.
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“The Storm desperately want to retain Finucane and are working exceptionally hard to try and find a way to keep him inside that crammed salary cap down there in Melbourne.
“South Sydney are also hoping to retain Dane Gagai, but they also have a heavy roster out there at Redfern.
“Finucane seems like he has been around forever, but he is only 29 and Gagai is only 30, so both those players you would think have another two, three, four years left in them.”
The Storm could be forced to offload Finucane should their salary cap strains persist. However the financial situations for the Victorian club have been buoyed by the pending departure of Nicho Hynes at season's end.
The club are understood to be nearing a new deal for superstar fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen though, while gun hooker Harry Grant will also be on the verge of contract discussions as he becomes available to discuss his future with rivals from November 1.
South Sydney are facing a similar dilemma with their own salary space, with Gagai placed as one of 13 players unsigned for the 2022 season at Redfern.
The club will already lose skipper Adam Reynolds to the Broncos from next year, while the likes of Jaydn Su'A and Benji Marshall could also command extensions.
The Knights have a bevy of key players yet to commit past 2021, with the likes of Phoenix Crossland, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Tex Hoy, Hymel Hunt, Kurt Mann, Edrick Lee and Connor Watson all currently off-contract.