North Queensland five-eighth Jake Clifford remains a long-term recruitment target for the Knights but the club now concedes it's highly unlikely he will be in Newcastle next season.
Knights boss Phil Gardner yesterday confirmed the club's interest in Clifford but has rubbished recent reports linking the club to ex-Queensland State of Origin centre Will Chambers.
He also reiterated the Knights have no interest in signing troubled centre James Roberts despite continued speculation.
"Despite what you read and hear, there has been no discussions about the two centres we have been linked to," Gardner told the Newcastle Herald.
"I don't know where it comes from. I'm not sure whether it gets made up or what but there's no truth there."
Gardner did confirm Clifford has been in the club's sights after he was given permission by the Cowboys to talk to rival clubs for next season even though he is under contract for a further year. The Knights were hopeful of signing the young playmaker for 2021 and beyond but a Cowboys' rethink has left any potential deal up in the air.
New Cowboys coach Todd Payten met with Clifford last week to let him know him he was back in the club's plans for next season and they now want him to see out the final year of his contract.
Unless there is further change of heart which would seem unlikely, he will be off limits to the Knights until 2022.
That could still work in the club's favour. With veteran playmaker Blake Green released by the Bulldogs and signed to a new one year deal with the Knights, Clifford could potentially arrive in Newcastle as Green's playing career comes to an end.
Knights coach Adam O'Brien confirmed the club is still in negotiations with the 22-year-old for 2022 despite missing out on him for next season.
"He is someone I think who can definitely help us in that role down the track provided we can get it [a deal] done but it looks like the Cowboys are going to be hanging onto him for next year at this stage," O'Brien said.
"But with Greeny signed for next year, that gives us a bit of stability in the halves alongside Junior [Mitchell Pearce] with Tex [Hoy] and Kurt [Mann] being able to play a role so I'm pretty comfortable with where we are at.
"I feel like we still have some competition for spots. People are saying we have got young kids already there but you want people fighting for their positions. You don't want jerseys just handed out when they haven't been earned."
The Knights currently have 26 players signed in their top 30 squad but that will become 25 if backrower Sione Mata'utia links with St Helens as expected.
That would leave a further five spots up for grabs with the likes of Chris Randall and Josh King still in contention to fill part of the void. The Knights must have 29 players signed by March 1 next year with the final spot in the roster to be filled by June 30.
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