Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is under contract with the 49ers and could stay that way despite all the strange occurrences and bitterness this offseason.

Aiyuk could be on his way to Pittsburgh if the 49ers and Steelers can agree on a transfer.

And Aiyuk would already be with the Cleveland Browns if he wanted to go to the Browns. There is no indication that he is interested in that option.

If the Steelers and 49ers cannot agree on a contract and Aiyuk refuses to sign a multi-year deal with the Browns, we all know there is only one option.

This means that Aiyuk will remain with the 49ers at least through the 2024 season.

Despite Aiyuk’s transfer request coming a week before training camp began, the possibility of Aiyuk staying with the 49ers was always very possible – if not likely.

After all, there are a lot of moving parts and both sides – the 49ers and Aiyuk – had to be on the same page for a trade to be completed.

And according to the latest reports from NFL insider Jordan Schultz and NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Aiyuk and the 49ers are once again working to find common ground.

Schultz first reported on Friday, citing sources, that Aiyuk and the 49ers had resumed contract negotiations after a meeting in which “some open and honest thoughts were expressed.”

According to Schultz, there is optimism that Aiyuk could stay with the 49ers.

Sources told NBC Sports Bay Area that the 49ers have negotiated a deal with the Browns that includes veteran receiver Amari Cooper and second- and fifth-round draft picks for Aiyuk.

However, since the Browns were not one of Aiyuk’s preferred destinations, the transfer did not take place.

Aiyuk has publicly expressed a desire to play for the Steelers, and as much as they want Aiyuk, they weren’t willing to pay the 49ers the price for draft picks, which includes second- and third-round picks, a source said.

So the bottom line is this: There is no trade with the Steelers or the Browns. And there are no signs that a solution will be found anytime soon.

This saga has been going on for a while, and the 49ers and Aiyuk may have no choice but to continue their relationship.

This seemed to have been the top priority for both sides from the beginning.

Aiyuk stated on The Pivot podcast that he believed a long-term contract extension with the 49ers was close to being signed early in the offseason. It was believed to be a three-year deal that would pay Aiyuk an average of $25.5 million per season.

However, no contract was concluded, negotiations stalled and the parties drifted apart.

New reports last week made it clear that the 49ers were willing to trade Aiyuk for the right price.

And since Aiyuk was the one who requested a trade, he seemed ready to sign a new contract with a team of his choosing. The Browns obviously weren’t at the top of that list.

Aiyuk has been the 49ers’ best receiver and leading yardage scorer over the past two seasons. The 49ers were only willing to trade Aiyuk if they could get an experienced receiver in return.

That’s why they are negotiating hard with the Steelers, but never ruling out the possibility that Aiyuk could stay with the 49ers.

For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the 49ers could ill afford to do anything to weaken their roster, and there’s little doubt that San Francisco is a better team with Aiyuk.

“You’re always disappointed when you don’t have all the players under control or things aren’t going quite right,” coach Kyle Shanahan said this week. “I don’t like losing anyone. That’s why I hope it works out here.”

“But at the moment we have not solved the problem. I hope it will be solved.”

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