FREE agent Shaun Higgins could still be a few weeks away from deciding his football future, his manager says.
Earlier this year, Higgins put off contract talks with the Western Bulldogs until the end of the season, and interest in the classy utility has grown the longer he has remained unsigned.
AFL.com.au revealed last month that at least four rival clubs were circling Higgins.
Several industry sources outside the Bulldogs suggested this week that Higgins had already decided to leave the Whitten Oval, with North Melbourne and Geelong believed to be leading the race for his services.
The Bulldogs will bring the curtain down on their season on Sunday when they clash with Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium.
But Higgins' manager, Bruce Kaider of One Management Group, told AFL.com.au on Tuesday his client was not due to reopen contract negotiations with the Bulldogs until the end of next week.
"There's obviously a negotiation (with the Bulldogs) to be had and depending on how that goes we may well go out to the market place," Kaider said.
"As I've said all along, we have to wait until the season's finished, we need to have that conversation with the Bulldogs.
"We're not due to catch up with the Bulldogs, I think, until the end of next week, so once we have that conversation then we'll get a better idea of where things are at and what we're doing.
"That's not to say we won't continue to have that conversation for a few weeks to try and get a deal done."
Kaider said he had been approached by opposition clubs interested in Higgins, but had not had "any dialogue" with any of them.
"I know there's lots of rumours out there at the moment, but with all the clubs that have approached us we've made it pretty clear that we're going to hold off and wait until the end of the season," Kaider said.
"Our intention is to talk to the Bulldogs first and then take it from there."
It is understood the main sticking point in the Dogs' negotiations with Higgins earlier this year was the length of their proposed new offer.
The Bulldogs are believed to have put a two-year deal on the table, but Higgins is after a new three-year contract.
Higgins is on between $350,000-$400,000 a season under his existing deal with the Bulldogs, but the level of interest in him could push his price up.
The 26-year-old's career has been plagued by injury.
A broken foot restricted him to three games last season and he was plagued by the groin condition osteitis pubis earlier in his career.
But Higgins has enjoyed a better run this season, missing just two senior games when he was dropped to the VFL in rounds 17 and 18.
Higgins is the only restricted free agent left in the 2014 pool, which gives the Bulldogs the right to keep him by matching the terms of any rival offer.
Opposition clubs cannot make formal offers to Higgins until the free agency period opens on Friday, October 3.
The Bulldogs have played the 186cm utility primarily across half-back this season, but he is equally at home in the midfield or attack.
Higgins was pick No. 11 in the 2005 national draft and has played 128 matches for the Bulldogs and kicked 128 goals.
