The Swans have conceded a key “difficulty” in arranging a trade for Charlie Curnow but have confirmed they will continue their pursuit.

The dual Coleman medallist remains one of the biggest names in this October’s exchange window amid a desire to leave Carlton, but given his contract status and value, a deal will be hard to come by.

The Swans’ head of list strategy, Chris Keane, admitted conversations with the Blues had been “limited” to this point — with the trade period only opening on Monday — but confirmed the club’s keenness to add the spearhead goalkicker.

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“We do have an interest in bringing Charlie into the footy club, but we acknowledge that he’s contracted and there are some complexities that lie within that,” Keane told AFL Trade Radio on Tuesday morning.

“We’ve got a bit to work through, and we’ll use the next week or so to do that.”

A change of scenery is part of what appeals to Curnow, who’s contracted through 2029, with the Swans’ list in a position to contend.

But Keane and Sydney aren’t shying away from the fact that figuring out the trade puzzle pieces will be laborious, as the club doesn’t have players who currently want out.

“Given his contracted status and any combination of options from a trade point of view — if we talk players, well, a lot of our players are contracted and happy in Sydney,” Keane said.

“So that makes it difficult at times to navigate. But, at the same time, our view is we’ll put forward some options that we think make sense for both parties.

“We’re pretty pragmatic about that, and at the end of the day, it’s probably up to Carlton to determine if it’s good enough.”

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Keane was asked specifically whether the Swans would be happy overpaying slightly for the 28-year-old, who kicked an average of 67 goals per season between 2022-24.

“We understand that (adding Curnow could be the catalyst to a finals return), but at the same time, we need to also do what’s best for our footy club,” he said.

“But we also understand that we have to provide something that satisfies them as well.

“We understand that we’ve got to come to the party, but we also need it to be mutually beneficial for both parties for it to go through.”

Asked about the futures of contracted players Will Hayward and James Rowbottom, Keane was categorical in saying they wouldn’t be made available.

It comes as he added the Swans were “caught off guard” by Jack Buller’s trade request, with the former midseason draftee set to depart for Collingwood after just 10 games at AFL level across two and a half years.

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Sydney regressed this year, winning just 12 games and finishing 10th on the ladder after making a grand final appearance in 2024 — and after curiously making no trade or free agency moves last offseason, former St Kilda dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna says the time is now to go “chips-in”.

“It’s obvious, if they’re not improving their list dramatically, they’re going backwards, the way the competition is, from what we’re seeing at the moment,” Montagna told the Fox Footy Podcast on Monday night.

“I think they have to go chips-in to try and get Charlie Curnow. If they pay overs, so be it, but while they’ve got Heeney, Gulden, Warner … they need to go and try and get him, and I think they’re in the window.”