New Zealand Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya has reportedly spoken to the Wests Tigers over a potential shift.
The surprise move comes despite Montoya being a permanent fixture of the Warriors' outfit under Andrew Webster during the former Penrith Panthers' assistant coach's first two years in Auckland.
The Fiji-born outside back, now 28 years of age, has scored 30 tries in his 82 games for the Warriors since shifting from the Canterbury Bulldogs at the end of 2020 with 46 of those games comes during the last two years.
Now an experienced force in the NRL, his 19 games this year have brought eight tries and 126 metres per contest.
News Corp are reporting the Warriors have given permission for Montoya to test the open market before November 1, despite the fact he is contracted to the club for 2026.
It's understood the Warriors may not stand in his way of leaving if he can find a deal elsewhere for 2025, with Montoya otherwise being able to sign elsewhere for 2026.
That comes with the Warriors aiming to bring through a number of young players at the club in their own outside backs. While Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (wing) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (centre) are locked into positions next year alongside fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, the other positions could be filled by any number of players, with Adam Pompey, Ali Leiataua, Ben Farr, Edward Kosi, Setu Tu, Rocco Berry, Sio Kali and Taine Tuaupiki among the players potentially fighting for spots.
That has left the club looking to move on Montoya, although the merit of him shifting to the Tigers remains to be seen given the joint-venture have already picked up Jeral Skelton and Sunia Turuva to add to their own backline for 2025.
Turuva and fullback Jahream Bula may be the only players locked into a starting spot in the back five at Concord as Benji Marshall prepares for his second season in charge, and experience is what the club will be looking for given a host of young players already on their books.