Injured and off-contract Sydney Roosters dummy half Brandon Smith has revealed he has not talked to the Parramatta Eels about a deal for 2026 despite the rumour mill exploding.

It's understood the speculation - which has been absent in the mainstream media - was started by an Eels fan page in recent times.

Smith is off-contract at the end of 2025, has been able to negotiate with rivals since November 1 and will not receive a new deal from the Roosters for 2026 after the tri-colours locked down the signing of Reece Robson from the North Queensland Cowboys.

Smith, speaking on The Bye Round podcast said he had received multiple phone calls about the Eels' link.

โ€œThis Parramatta rumour went around for all of my family members, every one of my mates rang,โ€ Smith told James Graham on The Bye Round Podcast.

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โ€œI have not spoken to them at all. I don't even know if my manager has.โ€

Smith confirmed however talks are going with rival clubs, and that he wants to have his future sorted by May - that will be before he is back on the field, with Smith due to miss at least the first half of the 2025 NRL season as he recovers from the ACL injury he picked up in Round 26 against the Canberra Raiders.

โ€œI haven't had any negotiations but there's definitely talks going. I would call them negotiations, but there's definitely talks happening behind the scenes but not involving me,โ€ Smith said.

โ€œProbably May. Yeah, April, May, I'd like to have it properly sorted."

It's unclear at this stage which teams Smith's management has spoken to, but plenty around the competition are likely to be in the hunt for a dummy half.

Smith could also revert back to the role he held in Melbourne, spending some minutes at hooker and others in the middle third as a lock forward.