St Kilda has cautiously entered the race for Magpies star Adam Treloar.
Collingwood are actively trying to offload Treloar's lucrative back-ended contract until 2025 to a rival club despite the 27-year old's preference to stay a Magpie.
According to The Age, the Saints are closely monitoring the situation and were considering a heavy play for the gun ball winner had Adelaide matched their free agency offer for Brad Crouch.
While the Crows opted not to match, making Crouch are Saint, the club remains an "interested observer" in the Treloar sweepstakes.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast on Thursday morning, Saints GM of Football Simon Lethlean admitted that his club was keen on Treloar, but said it was "very unlikely" he would be at Moorabbin in 2021.
“We’re very interested observers,” Lethlean said on SEN Breakfast.
“Treloar is a sensational player, but if you ask me right now if he would be at the Saints, I’d say it’s very unlikely.
“We don’t have the cap space or the assets to be getting that deal done in my view. We certainly haven’t spoken to Adam or Collingwood.
“We did say if the Crouch deal fell over we would potentially have a look at Adam as that midfielder we’re looking for, but given the Crouch deal has gone ahead I think our focus and ability on that one is pretty minimal.
“But geez, he’s a very good player and there’s obviously a bit to work through at Collingwood.”
Asked if Collingwood paying part of Treloar's wage would help the Saints' prospects, Lethlean responded: “I think it’s a difficult one for us to get done with where we’re at, based on having just done a deal with Crouch. But you never say never.
“But I really think it’s unlikely … But he’s a very good player and if he had desires on the Saints and we could find a way, we’d look at it. But I think it’s difficult.”
St Kilda's recruiting consultant Graeme Allan has links to Treloar having previously worked with him at GWS and Collingwood.
Allan helped facilitate the deal that saw Treloar join the Magpies at the end of 2015.
The AFL trade period runs until November 12.
