Western Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli wants his club to recruit Zak Butters from Port Adelaide.
What's the situation with Zak Butters?
Butters has a contract until the end of 2026, but multi-million-dollar offers are already coming in for the 24-year-old superstar.
He has won Port Adelaide's past two club best-and-fairest awards.
Why is Marcus Bontempelli involved?
Bontempelli, fresh off signing his own four-year deal, says as a captain he's hoping to help sell the Western Bulldogs' vision to potential recruits.
He feels he has "skin in the game" in influencing the club's direction.
The Western Bulldogs already have a strong midfield, and Butters' addition would make it arguably the best in the competition.
What does Marcus Bontempelli think of Zak Butters?
Bontempelli loves watching Butters play and would be happy if they ended up on the same team.
Butters has an option to extend his contract with Port Adelaide by another six years, until the end of 2034.
Bontempelli explained that his own contract signing took time due to his busy life schedule.
He wanted to get "clean air" from his schedule before signing.
What's next for the Western Bulldogs?
The club will likely try to tempt Butters with a competitive offer, despite Port Adelaide's efforts to keep him.
Bontempelli is hopeful that the Western Bulldogs can position themselves as an appealing option for top talent like Butters.
The recruitment process will be closely watched, with many fans eager to see how it plays out.
Bontempelli's comments suggest that the Western Bulldogs are serious about building a strong team.
The club's plans for the future will depend on their ability to attract and retain top players.