Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson confirmed he has held talks with off-contract GWS star Stephen Coniglio.
Coniglio is yet to confirm his plans for next season with the Hawks and Carlton ready to pounce if he opts to depart the Giants.
According to reports, the Blues are prepared to pay the free agent up to $2 million in 2020 that would make him the highest paid player in the competition.
Speaking on AFL 360 on Monday night, Clarkson described the midfielder as a “special player”.
"Yeah, I've spoken to him," Clarkson said.
"The preference of all coaches is that players would stay at their club. Our only attitude to it is if he decides to leave GWS, we'd like to be at the front of the queue if we could possibly get there."
"But we're not trying to get a crowbar to pull him out of GWS.
"If he decides to play his footy elsewhere, we want to try and compete with Geelong and Carlton and whoever else who might be in the scheme of things for Cogs, because he's a special player.
“I think it’s fair for everyone that, if they’re a free agent, no player would declare where they’re going at this stage. I think it’s disrespectful to their clubs and their teammates.”
It’s understood the 25-year-old will make a final decision on his future in the next fortnight.