The 24-year-old is reportedly struggling with alcohol issues that he disclosed to the club in the days after the NRL grand final last month.

"Following the 2020 NRL grand final, Brent Naden approached the club and disclosed a number of personal issues he wished to address," the Panthers said in a statement on Monday.

"As a result, Brent is currently undertaking a voluntary rehabilitation program in a private Sydney facility.

"Brent, his family, his management and the club kindly ask the media to respect his privacy and will be making no further comment at this time."

It continues a rollercoaster year for the Wellington product in which he was allegedly racially abused by crowd members during an NRL game on the Central Coast.

Naden was then dropped to the bench for the preliminary final and the grand final with Tyrone May taking his place in the centres.

However, Naden helped the Panthers to 17-straight NRL wins and emerged as one of the game's most dangerous centres and didn't taste defeat until the decider.

After making his debut for Penrith last season, he is now free to negotiate with rival NRL clubs as his current deal expires at the end of 2021.

Naden has previously bounced around to several clubs including Canberra and Newcastle before landing with the Panthers, where he started his junior football journey.

Australian Associated Press