CARLTON needs to make skipper Marc Murphy feel "wanted" to convince him to stay, vice-captain Sam Docherty says, but the backman acknowledges that is just one factor in Murphy's decision.

The midfielder, who turns 31 next month, is coming out of contract at season's end.

Left foot issues have kept Murphy to just four games in 2018 on the back of winning last year's best and fairest.

Docherty, who shares the role as Murphy's deputy with Patrick Cripps, told radio station RSN the onballer's decision wouldn't be easy.

"I think he knows that we as a football club, and me as a leader of the club, want him around," Docherty said on Thursday.

"Players make moving decisions based on so many different reasons, and the footy club is only one part of that. He's got a family, a young kid, he's setting himself up for life.

"As a footy club and as a teammate, you've got to make him feel welcome and wanted at the football club, but we have to also respect and understand that's a small piece of the whole puzzle.

"We can try our hardest, and I can guarantee we will for the back half of the year, because he's a great player of our footy club, he's our captain and I'd love him to stick around, but there's also the understanding, you never know what's going on in someone's head.

Murphy has lined up in 240 career matches since being drafted with the first overall selection in 2005.

The club has never progressed past the semi-finals in his time at Carlton.