GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 01: Tom Lynch of the Suns celebrates a goal during the round 15 the Gold Coast Suns and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Metricon Stadium on July 1, 2017 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

According to Jonathon Brown, Tom Lynch should choose to sign with Collingwood come free agency.

Lynch will become a free agent at the end of the season and it doesn't seem as though the Suns have done enough to entice their big forward to stay.

It's likely the Victorian will decide to return to his home state in 2019, and there are three teams ahead of the rest of the pack in the race for Lynch - Hawthorn, Richmond and Collingwood.

Although all three teams are having successful seasons, Brown has suggested which one team should have the edge over the others in Lynch's eyes.

It’s a tough choice,” Brown said on Fox Footy’s On The Couch.

“All three are big clubs, that’s why it’s going to get into a bidding war, which helps the Gold Coast Suns.

“I’d probably lean towards Collingwood at the moment, the way they’re going. There’s probably an opening there.”

The Magpies have recently signed Jordan De Goey however, they have a number of contracts expiring at the end of the season.

One of the expiring contracts is that of Darcy Moore. After being linked to the Sydney Swans, not only will Moore's absence open a spot for Lynch in the forward line, but would also give Collingwood room in it's salary cap to sign Lynch.

Richmond would also be keen to sign Lynch as Jack Riewoldt heads into his twilight years, but they don't have as much flexibility win their salary cap.

Jonathon Brown weighed in saying that Lynch "may slot" into the premiership winning forward line, but stuck to Collingwood as his front-runners.

“I’m not sure they’ve got the salary cap space, Richmond,” he said.

Melbourne legend Gary Lyon also spoke on what he thinks Lynch will decide, and he sees a reason why Lynch would choose the dark horse, Hawthorn.

“There might be an ace up Hawthorn’s sleeve,” Lyon added.

“It’s not so much their coaching, but their medical team.”

Lynch is already forced to miss out the rest of this season following season-ending surgery on his knee last week, after ongoing issues last year. It is likely Lynch has played his last game in red and gold.

“It’s a really disappointing to know that I’m going to have to have surgery and not play out the season,” Lynch said in a statement.

“I’ve been doing all I can to rehab the injury without requiring surgery.

“That has meant I haven’t been able to get out there and train with the team during the week like you normally would.”

The rumours continue to haunt the Suns as Lynch's co-captain Steven May has also generated some conversation on where he will play next season.

Although contracted until 2019, it has been reported that Victorian clubs have been looking at the defender.

“The concerning thing is that there is rising talk Steven May may be on the way out as well,” Brown said.

“So, your two captains. Really, they’re the linchpins you were going to build the club around for the next 10 years. That’s really troubling for me.

“If this happens — if Lynch and May both go — the AFL has got a lot of work to do. I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”