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Essendon “hasn’t given up hope” of landing Jordan De Goey as the free agent’s contract dispute with Collingwood continues, reports Damian Barrett.
A group of senior Bombers players, including Jake Stringer, reportedly spoke to De Goey earlier this month about joining them at Tullamarine.
Essendon has enormous cap space with millions of dollars to spend on big name recruits, though the club has otherwise not been linked to any major names.
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De Goey is a restricted free agent, meaning the Magpies can match any offer he accepts from a rival club, but they are in dispute over behaviour clauses in his new deal.
Collingwood has offered a five-year deal but only two years are locked in, with the last three dependent on whether he avoids more off-field dramas and scandals.
De Goey is said to want more clarity on what would constitute an incident which warrants his contract being torn up.
Reports on Wednesday De Goey had already committed to Collingwood were incorrect.
The saga dragging out has St Kilda but also the Bombers circling, according to Barrett.
“We can tell you today that the Essendon footy club hasn’t given up hope – even at this very late stage – of potentially getting into the conversation with Jordan De Goey,” the veteran AFL journalist said on Trade Radio.
“They were certainly a club of interest during the season. The narrowing down and finetuning of their coach search, Brad Scott being interviewed today by the Bombers (and set to be appointed) … (that can) at least to give some clarity as to who will be the coach and maybe properly have a conversation with Jordan De Goey with certainty as to who their coach is next year.
“They (Collingwood, Essendon and St Kilda) are the three clubs still in the mix.
“I still feel he will wade through these behavioural clause issues with the Collingwood Football Club and stay, but as we keep saying in this business, until the signature is on the line, it’s yet to be official.”
St Kilda confirmed on Thursday it remains interested in De Goey and expects a decision very soon.
“We‘ve had a number of conversations with Jordan and his management over a few months now. He’s got a big decision to make and the time’s coming pretty quickly for that decision,” Saints list boss James Gallagher told Trade Radio.
“I anticipate in the next two or three days he‘ll make that call. That will shape a little bit about what we do over the next couple of weeks, but we think he’d be an outstanding fit for our footy club and our footy team. He’s an exceptional player, he’s a big-game player and he’s got plenty of footy in front of him.
“But he is a Collingwood player. He‘s been there for a long time, he’s got some pretty strong relationships there, so it’s a big decision for him.”
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