COLLINGWOOD has room in its salary cap to afford free agent Patrick Dangerfield, according to Magpies' list manager Derek Hine.

But with the Adelaide star expected to command a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal, Hine warned that the Magpies' priority was to re-sign some of their developing players coming out of contract.

Hine was asked on SEN on Wednesday afternoon if he could clarify whether or not the Magpies were interested in, or pursuing, Dangerfield, Brisbane Lion James Aish or Greater Western Sydney Giant Adam Treloar.

Hine said given the list turnover the club has had over the past four years, the Magpies have the ability to look at recruiting players, but he did not address those three specifically.

"We're at a stage now where our list profile in terms of our age and game profile are in the bottom percentile of the competition," Hine said.

"So we need to be really strategic and targeted in terms of the player that we attract and potentially go for.

"We've got room in the cap.

"But at the same time we've got some pretty handy players coming out of contract that we need to retain and keep building."

The Magpies have a solid group of youngsters coming out of contract in the short term including Paul Seedsman, Adam Oxley, Matthew Scharenberg and Nathan Freeman, but no big names.

Geelong has been widely acknowledged as the club with the best chance of luring Dangerfield back to Victoria, but Cats' coach Chris Scott said earlier this week he did not want to speculate on the matter.