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HERITIER Lumumba has nominated Melbourne as his preferred club to be traded to and the Demons are ready to do a deal with Collingwood, according to Melbourne football operations manager Josh Mahoney.
Lumumba informed both the Demons and Collingwood on Monday that he would like to be traded to Melbourne after speaking with the club over a number of weeks.
Mahoney told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Monday that the Demons were ecstatic that Lumumba was keen to join them.
"We're very really pleased that he's chosen us as the preferred club," Mahoney said.
"Obviously there's a lot of work to be done now but we can sit down with Collingwood and try and get an appropriate deal."
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Lumumba's manager Ben Niall told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Monday that a second-round pick would be fair compensation for the 2010 premiership player and All Australian.
There have been comparisons made to Bernie Vince, who was traded to the Demons last season as a 28-year-old best and fairest winner with Adelaide.
The Demons sent pick no. 23 in the 2013 NAB AFL draft to the Crows in exchange for Vince. Melbourne currently has pick no. 22 to deal with in this year's draft. Mahoney said the comparisons with Vince were fair but it depends on how Collingwood view the situation.
"They're both 27-28 and experienced players so that's where the comparison certainly is," Mahoney said.
"But it really depends on what Collingwood want and what we're willing to give up and that's what we're going to do over the next few weeks."
Another trade option could involve Melbourne's Mitch Clark. The key forward has had many suitors since it was revealed that he was keen to return to AFL football with another club. Geelong has been heavily linked to Clark but Collingwood also appears to be in the race and Mahoney said the Demons could do a deal with the Magpies.
"They're certainly one of the club's that have expressed interest amongst a number of clubs," Mahoney said.
"So if does turn out to be that deal is best for the footy club and the best we could get for Mitch and the best way to get Heritier to the club, well, that obviously would be something we'd look at.”
Lumumba's manager Ben Niall told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Monday that a second-round pick would be fair compensation for the 2010 premiership player and All Australian.
There have been comparisons made to Bernie Vince, who was traded to the Demons last season as a 28-year-old best and fairest winner with Adelaide.
The Demons sent pick no. 23 in the 2013 NAB AFL draft to the Crows in exchange for Vince. Melbourne currently has pick no. 22 to deal with in this year's draft. Mahoney said the comparisons with Vince were fair but it depends on how Collingwood view the situation.
"They're both 27-28 and experienced players so that's where the comparison certainly is," Mahoney said.
"But it really depends on what Collingwood want and what we're willing to give up and that's what we're going to do over the next few weeks."
Another trade option could involve Melbourne's Mitch Clark. The key forward has had many suitors since it was revealed that he was keen to return to AFL football with another club. Geelong has been heavily linked to Clark but Collingwood also appears to be in the race and Mahoney said the Demons could do a deal with the Magpies.
"They're certainly one of the club's that have expressed interest amongst a number of clubs," Mahoney said.
"So if does turn out to be that deal is best for the footy club and the best we could get for Mitch and the best way to get Heritier to the club, well, that obviously would be something we'd look at.”
