Charlie Curnow's decision to not yet nominate a preference club for a trade is creating reluctance among his suitors.
The star forward wants a trade away from the Blues but with Sydney and Geelong both keen, he has not yet designated where he wants to land for 2026.
This call by Curnow is meaning that both the Swans and Cats are reluctant to commit to the player and possibly put some of their players offside who could be involved in a trade, Callum Twomey reported on Footy Furnace.
It's understood Geelong are increasingly unlikely to make a move for Curnow, with St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall prioritised and the club lacking trade capital plus players to trade out in any possible deal for the two-time Coleman Medallist.
MORE: Charlie Curnow trade: Sydney will get deal ‘done’, says pundit
Sydney have pick 11 in the upcoming draft and both future first picks in their arsenal, with Ollie Florent and Will Hayward floated as possible players to be included in a Curnow trade.
The Swans struggled to get a key forward going in 2025, with Isaac Heeney the team's leading goalkicker with 37 goals, while Hayward was second with 29.
Hayden McLean's 25 goals from 19 games was the most of any key Swans tall forward, with Joel Amartey only managing 13 goals in 8 games, while Logan McDonald failed to play a game because of injury.
Former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna believes Sydney will get the deal done because of the importance it is to their premiership chances.
"I think this is on Sydney to get this deal done,” Montagna said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.
"They desperately need Charlie Curnow to be a premiership threat in the next couple of seasons.
"I think they’ll find a way to get this done. It’ll probably still have to include a player, but the two first-round picks for me is not far off."