Rumours Adelaide defender Jake Lever is on the verge of signing with the Crows are way off the mark, according to his manager Ned Guy.
Channel 7 in Adelaide last night reported the young defender was the cusp of signing a new multi-year deal in what would be a huge mid-season boost for the top-of-the-table Crows.
Lever’s manager Ned Guy said not only was Lever not close to signing, but he had not yet commenced negotiations.
“We have not even started negotiations as there are issues surrounding the Total Player Payments (system),” Guy said.
Those issues are said to pertain to incremental rises in salary commensurate with those stated in the CBA, which is yet to be signed off on by the AFLPA.
SEN’s Sam McCLure said until the Crows buckle to Lever’s demands there would be little movement with his contract.
“Adelaide is not willing to offer that up so Lever’s management has stalled negotiations until that is brought to the discussion,” he told SEN Breakfast.
Lever, taken with the 14th overall selection at the 2014 national draft, is one of the hottest young properties in football. He has played 43 games since debuting in Round 6, 2015.
A number of clubs, including Collingwood and Melbourne are rumoured to be interested in the Calder Cannons product.
Recent signings of Josh Jenkins, Eddie Betts, Luke Brown and Kyle Hartigan have chewed up much of the remaining salary cap space. The club denied reports it asked a player, or players, to take a pay cut to in order to free up cap space to make key signings.
Talented utility Mitch McGovern is also out of contract and reportedly weighing a move back to Western Australia.