The Parramatta Eels have locked in on Rabbitohs star wingman Dane Gagai.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Parramatta have met with the Test star in a bid to sign him, who could serve as a potential replacement for out-of-contract winger Blake Ferguson.
Ferguson's future at the Eels is still uncertain after playing 46 games for the club.
Gagai has played all seven matches in 2021, scoring three tries, making 113 tackles and averaging 141 running metres.
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Gagai, who has also been linked to the Broncos, is one of the highest profile players to be out of contract at season's end, having played seven tests and 16 matches for Queensland, as well as 210 NRL matches.
It was reported last month month that Gagai had been shopped to the Eels as the Rabbitohs try to manage their salary cap.
Channel 9’s Danny Weidler said on the Big Sports Breakfast in late March that the Rabbitohs need to relieve cap pressure in some way.
“I think that if Reynolds is there, the way Souths have explained it to me, there is no Dane Gagai,” he said.
“If he stays, Dane will be elsewhere and there will be a stack of clubs looking at him. He’s been put to Parramatta. Early indications I’ve been getting, Brad Arthur wasn’t that keen on getting him. He won’t come cheap. He is a quality footballer.
“He may struggle to stay at Souths unless they get some relief in their cap. I did speak to Steve Gillis [Reynolds’ agent] about that and still word is no-one is budging. Sooner rather than later clubs will come knocking and try to sign Adam Reynolds up. I think there is a real stalemate… but Souths are very much against singing older players on longer deals.
Parramatta have won six of their seven matches in 2021 and the recruitment of Gagai would add power to their back-line.