Crouch is reportedly open to offers from rivals with the 2017 All Australian twice dropped from the Crows’ side this season.

Crouch has responded to his latest axing by collecting 42 disposals and then 41 touches at state league level.

But he has again been overlooked for Adelaide’s away clash against Hawthorn on Sunday.

Nicks, asked if he had told Crouch that he wants the 2017 club champion to stay at the Crows next season, replied: “Yes, I have.”

Nicks has opted recently for younger players such as Sam Berry, Harry Schoenberg and Jake Soligo to team with experienced on-ballers Rory Laird and Ben Keays.

But he said the midfield dynamic was not simply based on age – Crouch is 27-years-old.

“We haven’t mentioned anything about young or older players,” Nicks said.

“We talked about the balance of our midfield group.

“We are careful with some of the language we use, it’s not about older-younger, it’s about a balance of midfield.

“And we have been really impressed the last three or four weeks with where that midfield group have been at.

“Matty will earn his right back into that side by playing the footy he is at the moment.”

Nicks said Crouch “couldn’t have done more” at state league level.

“Matty is an important part of our squad,” he said.

“At the moment, our side has Soligo and Berry and Schoenberg in there alongside Laird and Keays and so that dynamic is slightly different.

“But we will just continue to ask Matty to put the head down and I think that has been broadcast from our playing group – they know he is doing what we’re asking.

“He has done an amazing job and went back into the SANFL and performed so we will ask him to keep doing that and then it will become a selection piece, where is that position available?”

-AAP