Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best is understood to be leaning towards leaving the Hunter-based club at the end of 2027.
Best is one of the biggest names currently scheduled to be available on November 1, with the Knights struggling to balance their salary cap and present an offer worthy of his signature.
It's understood he has been offered a four-year deal worth almost a million dollars per season, but Best is yet to put pen to paper.
ESPN are now reporting that Best is more likely to leave Justin Holbrook's side than he is to stay, with the Parramatta Eels edging ahead in the race for his signature.
Best, off-contract at the end of 2027, can officially start negotiating from November 1, and revealed just last week that talks which had broken down with the Knights have resumed since former recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan left for the Brisbane Broncos.
Those talks were set to rescue Best at the Knights, but the latest revelation could see him join Parramatta.
The Eels initially identified Best as a target about a month ago, with the club desperate for improvements all over the field in the upcoming free agency window.
Parramatta, under Jason Ryles, have struggled in a big way in recent seasons, and view Best as a player who might be able to help them turn it all around.
The Knights are understandably desperate to keep Origin and Kangaroos representative Best, but may not be able to match the Eels given their big-money deals already in place for Dylan Brown and Kalyn Ponga, both of whom are earning over a million dollars per year.
The Knights are understood to be ready to change tact to Jack Bostock if they lose Best, although the Dolphins towering outside back is understood be likely to join the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2028.
Bostock is also a player the Eels have been linked to.
