WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson insists the Eagles are doing "everything we can" to re-sign Jeremy McGovern amid reports of Victorian clubs circling the star defender.

McGovern would become one of the hottest free agents on the market if he remains unsigned at season's end, and reports suggest three Melbourne-based clubs are interested in luring the him east.

Fremantle, where his father Andrew played 63 games, has also been strongly-linked to the 25-year-old. 

The Eagles have built their defence around McGovern - the AFL's No.1 intercept mark and arguably the best one-on-one defender - and Simpson knows how valuable the 195cm key backman is to the side.

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"All I can speak of is us and what we're doing. We're doing everything we can," Simpson said on Thursday. 

"We know he's an A-grade talent, he's a dual All Australian, so we're doing everything we can to try and keep him here. 

"That's where we're at, at the moment, I'm not going to give you the running commentary on it all." 

Simpson didn't think the Eagles needed to pitch their case to keep McGovern at the club. 

"I don't think it's about the sell. He knows what we're about and what we're like," he said.  

"Once again I won't be running this through the media every week.

"This is the one time we'll talk about it and then we'll just let it work itself out."

McGovern, who runs plumbing and building companies in Perth, is not the only key Eagle set to become a free agent.

Star wingman Andrew Gaff is also due to fall out of contract at the end of 2018, along with South Australian ruckman Scott Lycett.