Zak Butters has nominated the Western Bulldogs as his preferred destination in a move that will have significant ramifications on the upcoming AFL trade period.
Butters, whose playing future has been the subject of speculation all year, had narrowed his choice to the Bulldogs and Geelong before settling on the club he supported as a child.
The 26-year-old has reportedly been offered a nine-year deal worth up to $2 million per season to join Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards in a high-powered Dogs engine room.
But Port Adelaide have the right to match the bid for restricted free agent Butters and force the Bulldogs into a trade for the three-time All-Australian.
The Bulldogs on Saturday confirmed Butters desire to move to Whitten Oval.
"Port Adelaide midfielder Zak Butters has informed the Western Bulldogs of his desire to join the club," the club said in a statement.
"The club will work with Port Adelaide to facilitate a suitable outcome during the upcoming player movement period."
Victorian product Butters, who has played 156 games for the Power over eight seasons, told the South Australian club last month of his desire to move back to his home state.
"Zak is a restricted free agent. With that, the club does have some options," Port chief executive Matthew Richardson said at the time.
"And our responsibility will be to ensure that we get the absolute best outcome for Port Adelaide and our future."
Three-time All-Australian Butters won three best-and-fairest awards with Port and stood in as captain this year with regular skipper Connor Rozee sidelined by a serious hamstring injury.
Butters' last game in Power colours was a defeat to St Kilda in round 18, when he suffered an ankle syndesmosis injury that ended his season early.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has long been an admirer of Butters and irked Port counterpart Josh Carr this season when openly addressing his club's desire to lure the star midfielder.
"Marcus (Bontempelli), and some of Marcus's teammates, are quite naturally drawn to Zak," Beveridge said in June.
"They played in the State team together (in February), so he's developed some relationships with some of the other boys who played in that game."
In July, Carr slammed the "arrogance" of Victorian clubs who were open about their pursuit of Butters.
Carr bristled at comments by Beveridge and Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly, who declared then that Butters was "coming back to Victoria".
The Magpies and Richmond were keen to lure Butters before he narrowed the decision to the Dogs and Cats.
