COLLINGWOOD'S Nathan Freeman has requested a trade after two injury-riddled years at the Magpies.

Hamstring problems have prevented the No.10 pick from playing a senior game with Collingwood after being taken in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft.

After playing against Geelong at Simonds Stadium in the first NAB Challenge game for 2014 he missed the rest of the season due to a hamstring problem.

He then played just four VFL games early in the 2015 season before once again suffering hamstring problems that ruled him out for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old is out of contract and he contacted the club on Wednesday to say he wanted a fresh start.

Given his age and potential, he could command a late first-round pick or early second-round pick in the draft.

Former Pies skipper Nick Maxwell said Freeman was top-end talent but believed Collingwood was not prepared to meet his financial demands.

"I reckon he’s a gun," Maxwell said on Melbourne radio station SEN.

"I compared him after his first pre-season to ... Dangerfield.

"He would burst out of packs, was very powerful, good ball-user, really hard at the footy ..."

But Maxwell believes Freeman has a good offer in front of him from a rival club that the Pies are not prepared to match due to his lack of footy.

Collingwood general manager of list management Derek Hine said the club will be exploring trade options for the young midfielder.

"Given the significant investment in Nathan, we will be exploring trade scenarios that are in the very best interests of Collingwood," Hine said.

Freeman has been linked to St Kilda, which inquired about the speedster several weeks ago when contract negotiations lingered.

The Magpies have an emerging midfield group with Adam Treloar expected to join recent acquisitions Taylor Adams, Jack Crisp, Jordan De Goey and Levi Greenwood alongside Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan.