Wantaway Suns spearhead Tom Lynch will sign with Richmond when free agency opens in October, according to reports on AFL.com.au.
It comes after Lynch told Gold Coast that he will leave the club to return to Melbourne and was immediately rescinded from his captaincy and removed from the football program thereafter.
Richmond, Collingwood and Hawthorn have all been considered the frontrunners to secure the 25-year old's services for some time now, who last week met with the Pies' list boss Ned Guy at his Blairgowrie home with his manager.
But AFL.com.au has spoken to sources from 10 different AFL clubs, including list managers, recruiters, football manager and CEOs and player managers who are unanimously of the belief that Lynch is headed to Tigerland.
"I think it's been a done deal at Richmond for a while," one list manager told AFL.com.au.
"Collingwood has obviously had a crack, but the meeting the other day came across as a bit of a smokescreen to me, something to make it look as though he was still making up his mind.
"I think he's made his decision. I'm confident he'll be a Tiger next year."
Lynch is likely to receive a minimum five-year deal from his new club in the $1.2 million range. It is unlikely that he will announce his decision until free agency opens which is when contracts can be formally tabled.
