GOLD COAST defender Joshua Toy has officially signalled his intention to return to Victoria.

Despite a one-year offer from Gold Coast, AFL.com.au understands Toy has told the Suns he wants to play for a Victorian club next year to move closer to his Melbourne-based family.

Toy was a notable absentee at the Suns' first pre-season training session on Monday.

But it is understood Gold Coast allowed Toy to stay in Melbourne to assess his future and to meet with clubs during the final week of the Gillette AFL Trade Period.

The 20-year-old, who is out-of-contract, has fielded interest from a number of Victorian clubs including the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Essendon.

If a deal cannot be struck before the 2pm Friday deadline, Toy may seek a new home via the pre-season draft in December.

However, the prospect of returning to the Gold Coast has not necessarily been discounted either, with the Suns keen to retain the talented half-back.

Late on Wednesday, a Gold Coast spokesman told AFL.com.au: "We will continue to work with Josh and his management in a bid to achieve a favourable outcome for Josh."

Trade Machine

Toy was one of the eligible 17-year-old access selections picked by Gold Coast in 2010, but would almost certainly have been a top three draft selection at the 2010 NAB AFL Draft.

At 185cm and 87kg, he reads the play well from half back and has a thumping right boot.

Toy was a highly regarded junior, having dominated at under-18 level for the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup and Vic Metro in the under-18 national championships.

Toy was on the Bombers' radar before he was selected by the Suns in 2010. He grew up in Essendon and supported the club as a child.

Trade tracker

Toy has played 13 games in two seasons for the Suns since making his debut in 2011, but managed just five senior games this year.

Toy has a congenital heart condition but Suns football manager Marcus Ashcroft said earlier this month that it would not affect his capacity to perform at AFL level.

Ben Guthrie is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_BenGuthrie