Parramatta coach Brad Arthur admits it's unlikely there'll be an offer for Cronulla fullback Michael Gordon if he doesn't arrive at the NRL club by June 30.
An off-contract Gordon reportedly agreed last week to switch camps and sign a long-term deal to be the new Eels fullback, however the Sharks pulled out of the deal at the 11th hour.
Arthur says he hasn't given up hope of landing the former State of Origin star, but conceded the club might have to look elsewhere to shore up their roster.
"It's looking unlikely," he said on Friday.
"It is disappointing. I'd like to see Mick remain in the game for another 12 months. And that's what we've got to offer him - a contract past this year.
"We need to look at trying to strengthen our roster at the moment, so I'd find it unlikely that there'd be something there for him next year if we can't do something now."
Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan said earlier this week that Gordon, who played one game for the Blues in 2010, was never given permission to leave the club.
However Arthur said: "we wouldn't have gone deep into it if there was an opportunity to come to our club."
The 31-year-old Gordon is considered the answer to Parramatta's fullback woes this year, having tried Will Hopoate and then Reece Robinson over the opening nine rounds without mixed success.
"Losing Jarryd (Hayne), as much as we were trying to say it wasn't going to affect us - you take Johnathan Thurston out of the Cowboys, Greg Inglis out of Souths - they're quality players," Arthur said.
"Jarryd was equal Dally M winner last year, so he's a quality player.
"We've been competitive in all our games, but competitive isn't good enough. We need to win games and that's where we're at."
In what has been a dramatic week for the club, Arthur also said he was disappointed in the actions of Kenny Edwards and Kaysa Pritchard after breaching drug-testing protocols in the pre-season.
Edwards faces a nine-month ban after he submitted a urine test on behalf of Pritchard earlier this year.
Edwards had already been sanctioned after an off-field altercation on the Gold Coast last season.
Asked whether Edwards still had a future at the club, Arthur said: "Yes, I do.
"It's not ideal. It's disappointing. It's two young boys, they made a silly error. The NRL and the club's working through it."
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