With Australia on their way to the World Cup in Russia, Cahill - who turns 38 next month - hinted this week that if he doesn't garner the requisite match minutes under coach Warren Joyce he may look elsewhere.
However, it's understood that the City Football Group retain committed to Cahill and would seek compensation, where he to find a suitor.
Australia's all-time leading scorer, who played 70 minutes of Wednesday's 3-1 World Cup qualification seaming win over Honduras, has the remainder of this season to run on his contract, with a further year locked in as part of transition into the coaching ranks.
He's made three appearances off the bench so far this season, injuring his ankle in his only start to date against Sydney FC ahead of the first leg against Honduras in San Pedro Sula.
"For me now, I've got to make some big decisions on the level of where I'm playing at and what I'm going to do," Cahill said immediately after Australia's qualification.
"I need game time.
"It's something that I'll make sure that either way for me I'm always going to play. If I don't, I'll find a way to play."
City chiefs believe Cahill's prospects of competing in a fourth successive World Cup hinge as much on Ange Postecoglou opting to lead Australia to Russia as simply measuring the game time he enjoys with the high-riding A-League club.
Postecoglou has promised to clarify his position - whether he stays or goes - before the December 1 World Cup draw.
Postecoglou remains an avid Cahill admirer and is all but certain to include him in his party for Russia should he retain the reins.
Under a new coach, whether home-based or a foreign import, Cahill's international future would be more opaque.
Despite Cahill falling behind loan signing Ross McCormack - with four goals in six starts - City are in no mood to tear up a sizeable investment in the national team talisman with club insisting they are playing their part in keeping him Socceroos ready with top-of-the-line conditioning and medical treatment.
While Cahill is kept in cotton wool, the club is reaping the rewards of bringing in McCormack on loan from Aston Villa until January, with an option to extend.
Star striker Bruno Fornaroli, whom McCormack was brought in to replace, is also making swift progress from his long-term injury, to add further competition at the pointy end come January.
