Clayton Oliver fuels trade speculation with Instagram activity

Eagle-eyed footy fans have spotted a wantaway star pouring fuel all over the mounting speculation he is chasing a bombshell trade.

Clayton Oliver’s future at the Melbourne Football Club looks like it is on its last legs.

The star midfielder has once again found himself in the thick of trade speculation, with the saga reaching new heights on Thursday.

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As speculation mounts the 27-year-old could be set to request a trade away from the club to join Geelong, Oliver poured fuel all over the rumour mill fire with his social media activity.

On Thursday night eagle-eyed footy fans spotted the star player liking a post linking him to a trade to Geelong.

Clayton fuelled the speculation. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Clayton liked this post.

It’s not the first time Oliver has landed in trade rumours with the star under the microscope last year following a turbulent off-season.

While last year it was the club who were reportedly open to a trade, this time around it’s Oliver who is seeking a move.

His desire could result in awkward scenes at Melbourne’s best and fairest awards which are set to take place on Friday night.

Despite reportedly wanting out, he is being urged to attend the event in what could be a final farewell to his teammates.

Whether Oliver attends the club’s Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Medal event is currently unknown, with teammate Christian Petracca, who also recently considered a trade, given permission to miss it due to his commitment to a Red Bull training camp in Austria.

Oliver ventured down to Geelong through the week where he met with Cats stars Rhys Stanley and Tom Stewart which is said to have left him with a desire to move down the highway.

“Clayton Oliver wants to be traded to Geelong,” Sam McClure declared on 3AW airwaves on Wednesday.

Oliver is said to want out. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

SEN’s Sam Edmund however said that despite Oliver’s reported desires, the Demons will “shut down” a potential trade for the star.

Oliver has six years and $8 million remaining on his contract, with the club set to squash trade talks given the difficulty in getting fair value in return.

It comes after The Age reported Geelong would only pay the full amount — or near enough of — Oliver’s lucrative deal if the trade cost was heavily discounted.

“I actually think the Clayton Oliver stuff is about to get shut completely down,” Edmund told AFL Trade Radio.

“I think there is a very real chance, in fact it’s the most likely outcome, that at the best and fairest tonight Melbourne are going to get up and shut this down completely.

The Dees could shut down the trade speculation. Picture: David Crosling

“They’ve had a look and they’ve done some tyre kicking for the second year in a row, and Clayton has as well, but such is the difficulty of the contract and the ability to get fair compensation, it just doesn’t make it possible or acceptable.

“I think the feeling is internally that they can fall back in love again with the player and the player with them.

“There’s been a lot of meetings on this. All day today and all day yesterday and having the same conversations we’ve been having.

“Ultimately, they’ve settled on the fact that Oliver will be going nowhere and they think they can make it work.”

The 2024 trade period commences on Monday, October 7 with Melbourne set to remain firmly under an intense spotlight.

Originally published as Clayton Oliver fuels trade speculation with Instagram activity