In-demand defender Jordy Buijs may be here to stay, revealing Sydney FC want to re-sign him for up to three more A-League seasons.
A week after his name was caught up in a Western Sydney mass-poaching attempt, the off-contract Dutchman insists he's content with life at the defending champions and expects to begin talks about a new deal soon.
"I am very flattered that our club wants to go through with me maybe two or three years more," Buijs told AAP.
"That's what they say, so the signs are good and positive.
"Let's see what the future brings. I'm happy in Sydney."
Like teammates Michael Zullo and Alex Wilkinson, Buijs only discovered via media reports that the Wanderers had approached Sydney regarding their intent to open negotiations with the off-contract trio.
Such efforts are testament to the 28-year-old's impact in the backline of his club's record-breaking defence.
Graham Arnold and his backroom staff could hardly have recruited a snugger fit for the central defensive spot vacated by Matt Jurman in January.
Where most foreigners require a season of adjustment to Australia's heat and hard pitches, Buijs slotted in seamlessly alongside Wilkinson and matched his reputation as a set-piece specialist.
Last season he was a vital segment of a first XI that conceded an all-time record-low 12 goals before taking out the title.
And after an off-season fitness overhaul he's emerged smaller and more agile, with a passing accuracy upwards of 88 percent -- the best of any player to have made more than 200 passes.
"This year is for sure easier because I was here last year already so I get used to it," Buijs said. "I don't have problems at all, I'm feeling very fit and work hard for it."
Buijs is anticipating Friday night's home fixture against Melbourne City with the kind of zeal expected of a player who scored from a lethal free kick against Warren Joyce's men in September's FFA Cup quarterfinal.
The priority, though, will be a third-straight clean sheet.
"We want to keep more zeros and score more goals, and also we want to play better football.
"The last game we showed some good opportunities to play forward -- we are coming a lot of times in the box.
"Before we don't score a lot of times, but in this game everything was coming out."