CARLTON has signed Sam Walsh to a monster eight-year contract in the biggest deal in the club's history.

As revealed by AFL.com.au earlier this month, Walsh had started talks on a long-term extension with the Blues and had decided on staying at the club. 

In a massive sign of faith in the Blues' direction, the 25-year-old gun midfielder has taken his name off the free agency list before the club starts its season in Opening Round next week against the Swans. 

The new deal will take him through to 2034, with Walsh now joining Melbourne's Kysaiah Pickett and Fremantle's Caleb Serong as the longest-signed players in the competition. 

Carlton had tabled a seven-year extension a fortnight ago, with further talks lifting the contract to eight years, with the deal estimated to be worth more than $10 million as the longest and most lucrative in Blues' history for the former No.1 pick.

Rival clubs, such as Geelong, St Kilda, Adelaide and Hawthorn, flagged interest in Walsh last year ahead of his free agency year, but they were unable to get into the conversation for him over summer as his priority was to stay at Carlton.

Walsh was one of the big four free agents heading into the season – alongside Zak Butters, Zac Bailey and Ben King – but reduces the group to three headline acts before a game has been played in the premiership season.

Carlton's co-vice captain has played 133 games for the Blues, winning the best and fairest and All-Australian honours in 2021 and the Gary Ayres Medal as the best finals player in 2023.