Melbourne lead the race for Harley Bennell

As Harley Bennell attempts to revive his AFL career, it’s emerged the oft-injured midfielder is favouring a move to Melbourne to team up with one ex-teammate in particular.

Melbourne has surged ahead in the race for Harley Bennell, who is excited by the prospect of playing at the Demons alongside former teammate Steven May.

Delisted Fremantle midfielder Bennell has gone from AFL pariah to the most popular man in football as four clubs clamour for his services next season.

St Kilda has now joined Sydney, Geelong and the Demons in asking about his services.

Bennell on Wednesday met with the Demons, who put on the full court press in showing him the opportunity in front of him as a half forward at Melbourne.

He could see himself fitting in at the club, and felt comfortable after speaking to former teammate May about his prospects.

At Melbourne he would also be close to former teammates Dion Prestia and Tom Lynch only a few hundred metres down the road at Punt Road.

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Harley Bennell wants to continue his AFL career. Pic: Getty Images

Some of those clubs have given Bennell the early impression they could rookie-list him despite a long-running battle with calf and hamstring injuries.

But the more likely prospect is he will be a train-on player with a club starting in the first week of December to prove hisfitness after only two games since the end of 2015.

Sydney has long led the charge in the race for Bennell, as it emerged that Lance Franklin was one of the Swans that contacted him to assess his interest in playing under John Longmire.

Clubs are not prepared to give up on Bennell despite his long history of injuries, aware he could still be a game-changing talent if he can get his body right.

Bennell is in Melbourne this week as he explores options.

Geelong has also confirmed it recently held talks with Bennell to gauge his desire to play on.

Bennell has played only two games in the past four years due to a never-ending run of calf problems, but he has refused to surrender his football career.

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A consultation with Geelong-based “calf guru” Peter Stanton after being delisted by Fremantle led to Bennell undergoing two rounds of surgery in the belief a muscle had been pressing on a nerve.

He had an operation on his right calf in Brisbane in July and returned to have a similar operation on his left calf in September.

It now appears a formality that Bennell will at least get the chance to add to his 83-game career at a third AFL club.

Bennell is expected to resume running shortly.