The South Sydney Rabbitohs have reportedly entered discussions with Wests Tigers' centre and back rower Michael Chee-Kam.

So advanced are the talks, according to an Sydney Morning Herald report, it's understood the Rabbitohs are almost certainly set to sign the 29-year-old for the 2022 season and beyond.

Wests Tigers' coach Michael Maguire was supposedly against re-signing Chee-Kam, but has changed his stance in the past month, having had him start in each of the last four games at centre.

The Tigers stand to lose Chee-Kam though, who has been underused this season horrifically. In the first 20 rounds, Chee-Kam had just one start at centre, as well as two games from the bench and one appearance from 18th man. He served as the 18th man on ten occasions during that period.

MICHAEL CHEE-KAM
Second-row
Wests Tigers
2021 SEASON AVG
6
Tackles Made
0.1
Tries
0.7
Tackle Breaks

Chee-Kam has previously been a much bigger part of the Tigers' system, having moved from the Manly Sea Eagles at the end of 2015. He played 22 games in each of 2017, 2018 and 2019, scoring six tries in the later of those.

He only played nine games last year though before things got worse this time around and may be looking for a change to reinvigorate his career, which currently sits on 92 matches.

The Tigers will be looking to bring Zac Cini into first grade on a more permanent basis in the 2022 season, and with Moses Mbye leaving the club, there will be less competition in the backs should Chee-Kam also depart.

It's unclear how Chee-Kam would fit into the South Sydney system, however, he would undoubtedly be in with a chance at a spot on the bench in new coach Jason Demetriou's best 17.