Shock suitor emerges in chase for Melbourne Storm star Josh Addo-Carr

Josh Addo-Carr will leave the Storm after Sunday’s Grand Final and a shock suitor is beating two frontrunners to secure his services.

Josh Addo-Carr is on the move in 2021.

Canterbury has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to sign Josh Addo-Carr as the winger weighs up his options outside of Melbourne.

The 25-year-old wants to return to Sydney for family reasons and this season looms as his last with the Storm, who will be hoping to send him out a premiership winner when they face Penrith in Sunday’s Grand Final.

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Addo-Carr moved to Victoria in 2017 after making his NRL debut for the Wests Tigers in 2016, and a return to the joint-venture club was touted as a possibility.

South Sydney was also considered a strong chance of attracting the speedster, where Addo-Carr could team up with close mate Latrell Mitchell.

However, now the Bulldogs are firmly in the hunt as they look to bolster their roster under new coach Trent Barrett in 2021.

The Dogs ran second-last this season and the addition of Addo-Carr, a NSW and Kangaroos representative, would add some much-needed attacking flair to a side that lacked creativity in a dismal campaign.

Daily Telegraph rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield said the Tigers — who finished 11th this year and have not played finals footy since 2011 — don’t appeal to Addo-Carr, while Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett isn’t in the market for a winger.

“I think he’s going to the Canterbury Bulldogs,” Rothfield told Sky Sports’ Big Sports Breakfast.

“Wayne Bennett’s on record saying he’s well-off for wingers and outside backs and I don’t think he (Addo-Carr) is keen on the Wests Tigers.

“I think he’ll be at the Bulldogs.”

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Addo-Carr wants to sign off on a high.

Addo-Carr has said he won’t make any moves on his future until the end of the season and after Melbourne thrashed Canberra on Friday night, he fought back tears as he explained how tough it will be to leave the Storm.

However, he knows moving back to Sydney is the right thing to do.

“Everyone knows what I want to do,” he said, per the Sydney Morning Herald. “I just want to enjoy every minute. I’m super proud to be a part of this club. My name is going to be on the wall with all of the greats. Nobody can take that away from me.

“It’s my second family. I suppose I don’t see it as a job. I love playing football and my teammates have turned me into the player I always dreamed of being.

“The whole reason why I moved down to the Storm was for my family and myself. It was a really tough decision, but I feel like I need to move back for my family.

“It was tough … I lost five family members in the space of two months last year and I’ve lost two family members recently.

“Life is too short. I’ve got two kids now and I want my kids to grow up with their family and make good memories. My parents aren’t getting any younger.

“I wish the Melbourne Storm were in Sydney, but it’s just not the case. This club will always hold a very special place in my heart.”