Tom De Koning’s AFL future is beginning to cast a shadow over Carlton.
De Koning will be out of contract at the end of 2025 and rival clubs are set to once again knock on the now-free agent’s door.
The ruck-forward had rejected strong interest from St Kilda, Sydney and Geelong, where brother Sam plays, in 2023 to remain at the Blues.
Enjoying a rich early vein of form alongside No.1 ruck Marc Pittonet, De Koning was limited to 18 games after fracturing his foot and requiring treatment for a collapsed lung in round 19.
He returned as a tactical substitute in their elimination-final defeat to Brisbane.
Now three months after their season ended in a whimper, attention has turned to whether De Koning will turn his back on free agency.
While insisting he was happy at Carlton, the 25-year-old played a straight bat when questioned on Wednesday.
“Look, that'll be between my manager and the club,” De Koning said.
“My main focus is my role for the team and listening to what Vossy and the coaches have to say for me.
“The rest will take care of itself when it happens.
“I love it here. Growing up playing with a bunch of these boys since I got drafted and we've all kind of stuck together.
“Really loving my footy, playing my footy with them and the more games that we play together, I feel like the more cohesion we get.”
Asked about whether he wanted to join his brother Sam, he said: “Not while he's at a different club, that's for sure.”
De Koning isn’t the only off-contract star at the Blues, with Adam Cerra, Adam Saad, Nic Newman and George Hewett among those in talks.
For now, De Koning says their focus remains on finding redemption after their end-of-season crash-out.
“Never satisfied finishing eighth especially and definitely got plenty of work to do,” De Koning said.
“I think if you don't think that (you’re in a premiership window) then what are you thinking?
“We're focused on the present at the moment. We're focused on our pre-season and refining a few things in our game plan.
“We take it one week at a time here.”
