Collingwood are “very confident” of landing the prized signature of Gold Coast forward Ben King, according to 7NEWS reporter Ryan Daniels.

King looming as one of the hottest free agents at the end of next year with clubs already making moves to secure the key forward.

The 24-year-old signed a two-year extension ahead of last season, which takes him through until the end of next year when he qualifies as a free agent.

King has kicked 33 goals from 12 games this season to be sitting fourth in the Coleman Medal race behind leader Jeremy Cameron (44), although he has played two less games than the superstar Cat.

He has previously been linked to a move to St Kilda where his brother Max plays, but the Pies are believed to leading the race.

Collingwood, the current premiership favourites, have an ageing forward line with key talls Brody Mihocek (32), Tim Membrey (30) and Dan McStay (turning 30 next week) all in the latter stages of their careers, as well as Jamie Elliott (32).

“We’ve heard a lot about the interest in Ben King for years here in the Victorian clubs but I have it on good authority that Collingwood are very, very confident that this time next year that Ben King will be a Magpie, or very close to it,” Daniels said on Triple M this weekend.

“He’s out of contract next year, that’s when they’re going to go super, super hard at him. They want him to be the next piece of the puzzle. I think they are super, super confident.

“Things can drift as we know, things can change. We thought Kozzy Pickett was going to be a Docker. But I know within the Pies, they are feeling pretty good about themselves in the Ben King space.

“If Matt Rowell stays at the Suns, it changes things a little bit for them, but Ben King is a separate entity. They’re separate things. So I would be more confident in Ben King getting there by a little later than this time next year.”

Collingwood will have a number of tough calls to make with their veterans in the next few years.

Scott Pendlebury is reportedly in talks to continue his career into a remarkable 21st season, but the future is cloudy for a number of his teammates.

Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe, Elliott, Mihocek, WIll Hoskin-Elliott, Tom Mitchell and Mason Cox are all out of contract at the end of this season.