Trade talk: Nerves building at Dees around Sparrow’s free agency call

Nerves are building at Melbourne around the retention of free agent Tom Sparrow, according to SEN’s Tom Morris.

While the Dees were recently confident that the 26-year-old would re-sign, Morris says negotiations are now moving at a snail’s pace as Port Adelaide begins to circle.

Morris expects Sparrow, who hails from South Australia, to receive a significant offer to return home with the Power. If he were to remain at the Demons, it would be on less money than he’d receive at Alberton.

Morris thinks that the next 10 days will be crucial in Sparrow’s decision, with Port Adelaide entering the frame the longer the wait continues.

“There are a few nerves around Tom Sparrow,” Morris told SEN Breakfast.

“Melbourne's been confident for a while and hopeful for a while, but this negotiation has moved at snail’s pace now for the last few weeks as Port Adelaide, in particular, circle.

“If he does stay, he's going to stay on less money than what Port is offering, so he's just going to have to give up a bit, it's just a matter of what that gap is.

“It’s a big sort of seven to 10 days, I reckon. I think if there's not any significant movement in the next week or week and a half, then he's probably going.

“So, Melbourne supporters need to be watching pretty closely in the next week or week and a bit, just to see if there's any acceleration in his discussions and potentially signature.

“If we get to the end of the year, then I don't think he's going to stay at Melbourne.”

Kane Cornes is someone who thinks the Demons shouldn’t budge on their offer, even with Port putting up a large sum.

He discussed what he thinks the 137-gamer is worth on the open market.

Cornes: “I said this last week, Melbourne don't need to overpay for him.”

Morris: “What do you think he’s worth, Kane?”

Cornes: “I think he's a $750,000 to 800,000 a year player. He's a limited player who's had a good season, but you're not overpaying him. Some of the numbers I've heard for him are ridiculous.

“I think Melbourne's got to hold firm. At times, you just have to lose them, and this may be one of those ones.”

Sparrow is an unrestricted free agent, meaning Melbourne can’t match any bid on his services from a rival club.