Is John Small the sixth Dublin player to step away? 

John Small of Dublin. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Doubt has been raised about the future of Dublin defender John Small with one media report claiming that he won't feature this year.

Seven-time All-Ireland medallist Small, 32, hasn't played any part in the Dubs' Division 1 campaign.

Younger brother Paddy hasn't featured either though Dublin manager Dessie Farrell confirmed after Saturday night's loss to Armagh that attacker 'Paddy is back' training.

As for sibling John, Farrell merely stated that 'John isn't back yet, no'.

Former Laois footballer Colm Parkinson has since claimed on his Smaller Fish podcast that the Ballymun man won't be returning.

"I have information that John Small is not going back so there's an exclusive," said Parkinson. "It's fairly good information. I don't think John is going to go back at all."

If Small does make his exit, he will be the sixth player from the team that lined out against Galway in last summer's All-Ireland quarter-final to leave.

Michael Fitzsimons, Jack McCaffrey, Brian Fenton, James McCarthy and Paul Mannion have all stepped away.

But 43-year-old goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton remains part of Dublin's plans, according to Farrell.

Gavin Sheridan and Evan Comerford have shared the goalkeeping duties so far in the league.

"Stephen is back training and has been for a while," said Farrell. "We're still working through his programme. He's going quite well."

Farrell has used 30 different players so far this season, handing NFL debuts to Sheridan, former AFL player James Madden, Eoghan O'Donnell, Kevin Lahiff, Conor Tyrrell, Alex Gavin, Niall O'Callaghan and Davy Keogh.

More debuts could follow as Clontarf's Calum Ahearne was an unused sub against Armagh while Nathan Doran, also from Clontarf, was in a similar position the previous weekend against Derry.