Chris Fagan has revealed that he expects Dan McStay to remain a Lion beyond 2022, despite ongoing contract uncertainty surrounding the 26-year-old.

McStay's contract is up at the end of the season and has been attracting interest from rival clubs, but the Lions coach believes that he isn't going anywhere.

Appearing on SEN Breakfast,ย Fagan spoke candidly about the key forward's role in the team, both on and off the field.

โ€œWell Danโ€™s been here for seven or eight years, heโ€™s done a lot of the hard yards, heโ€™s a really important part of our team and a popular teammate,โ€ Fagan said.

โ€œHeโ€™s part of our group of leaders and I donโ€™t detect from him any unhappiness about being here at Brisbane and I suspect, that once all the โ€˜argy bargyโ€™ finishes, heโ€™ll still be a Lion next year.โ€

The Lions have reportedly tabled the in-demand forward a five-year deal after an original four-year deal was offered, according to AFL.com.auโ€™s Callum Twomey.

โ€œHeโ€™s being courted by a number of clubs in Victoria, we know Collingwoodโ€™s amongst them,โ€ Twomey said on SEN Breakfast.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 08: Daniel McStay (left) and Nakia Cockatoo of the Lions celebrate during the 2022 AFL Round 04 match between the Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions at GMHBA Stadium on April 08, 2022 In Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

โ€œBut Brisbane has upped the ante to keep him, theyโ€™ve offered now a five-year deal to keep him, it was four, now itโ€™s five, so theyโ€™re pretty desperate to keep him I think and obviously heโ€™s an unrestricted free agent, so they canโ€™t actually match a bid for him under free agency, he could walk to wherever he wants to go.

โ€œThe end result really is that McStay has a plethora of options and heโ€™s in a really good spot.โ€

McStay has kicked 12 goals for the Lions from nine games so far this season, after a 28 goal effort in 2021.