Media reports in France suggest wealthy Top 14 club Toulon are on the point of signing the powerful 25-year-old Otago Highlanders centre for next season.
"He's making a decision based on what's right for him, and like all of the guys that go overseas, we don't want them to go, but we've got to support them," the coach told New Zealand's Radio Sport on Thursday.
"If he goes overseas, we'll support him in that."
Fekitoa played 10 tests last season as Hansen started rebuilding his midfield in the wake of the international retirements of stalwarts Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith at the end of the 2015 World Cup.
He was left out of the squad for the British and Irish Lions series, however, but was called up as injury cover and given some playing time off the bench in the drawn third test.
"He's always in our mind, he's been a very good player," Hansen added. "We just thought there was an area of the game that we wanted to see improve and didn't select him. But he got his opportunity again in the series and played well."
Hansen said he always tried to talk to players when they were considering leaving for clubs abroad, a move that curtails their international career except in the rare cases when they have a New Zealand Rugby agreement.
"The big thing is you don't want them going if they feel they've got time and things they want to do in that black jersey, because they'll have regrets when they finish playing," Hansen added.
"If their minds are made up, you've got to support them. If they're in two minds, you try and steer them to making a decision that's right for what they're thinking versus the money. Sometimes it's a hard battle."
French rugby newspaper L'Equipe has reported club president Mourad Boudjellal announced to a small group of members about the imminent arrival of an All Blacks midfielder, who is a world champion.
It went on to say that midfielder was Fekitoa.
The Highlander has been linked with the French outfit for months.
But Toulon has quickly shut down the rumours, issuing a media release saying that until it appears on communication channels they are only rumours.
Fekitoa, who has played 24 tests after making his debut in 2014, is a quality midfielder and adds significantly to New Zealand Rugby's depth.
He also showed his worth for the Highlanders in their famous come-from-behind victory over the Lions in Dunedin last month when he and Naholo caused the tourists all sorts of trouble.
But he is now behind Williams, Crotty, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape and Crusaders 22-year-old Jack Goodhue in the All Blacks' midfield pecking order.
One of Fekitoa's most memorable tests was the Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane in 2014. With the All Blacks trailing by six points, Fekitoa scored the try in the 80th minute which gave his side a chance and then watched as Colin Slade kicked the difficult conversion for a dramatic victory.
Another was last November in Dublin when Fekitoa scored two tries against Ireland in the "revenge match" after their loss a fortnight earlier in Chicago and was also yellow carded for a high tackle.
- reporting by NZME and Reuters