DELISTED Carlton midfielder Brock McLean has lashed out at the Blues for their handling of his removal from Visy Park.

The 28-year-old was shown the door along with Mitch Robinson and Kane Lucas earlier this week. 

McLean said he was shocked to be delisted after he held a positive conversation about his future with coach Mick Malthouse late last season.

"He was of the view that he wanted me around next year and that I was a required player," McLean told SEN radio. 

"So I walked away from that thinking, 'Yep, great I want to play on next year and it sounds like Mick wants me here, so that's good'.

"And then my exit meeting at the end of the year probably went even better. Rob Wiley (director of development and coaching) was very positive and Mick was very positive and so was (high performance manager) David Buttifant. 

"So I walked away with the view that I was going to be around next year and there would be a contract available on the table sooner rather than later."

But while on holidays in Copenhagen, McLean received a text message from his manager Adam Ramanauskas that indicated he was unlikely to be offered a new deal. 

Shortly afterwards, Carlton's general manager of football operations contacted McLean and confirmed the news.

"Andy McKay rang me after that and we had a pretty heated discussion and he basically said the same thing that 'Rama' said it was more likely than not," McLean said. 

"The last morning I left London and got a call from 'Macca' again and he said 'Yeah mate, we're going to delist you', so it changed up a bit.

"I'm certainly not angry or bitter or anything like that, but I was just disappointed how it was all handled. 

"How I was sort of told one thing and led to believe one thing and Adam Ramanauskas my manager was told another thing, so there was no real transparency or honesty amongst the whole conversation or the whole situation."

McLean, who played 63 games for the Blues after 94 matches for Melbourne, revealed he has not spoken to Malthouse since he was delisted. 

"Mick hasn't rang me yet," he said. "I've been dealing with Andy McKay. 

"I don't know the reason why Mick hasn't rang me, but I would have thought as the senior coach he might have got on the phone to me." 

McLean said he was told by McKay that he was "squeezed out" by Carlton's recruits during the trade period.

The Blues picked up Western Bulldogs forward Liam Jones, plus ex-Greater Western Sydney players Kristian Jaksch and Mark Whiley. 

Although he will be 29 before the start of next season, McLean has not ruled out continuing his career at another club.

"I'm open to anything, but I'm actually really excited about the next phase of my life," he said. 

Carlton has confirmed that McLean has been invited back to the club to farewell his former teammates.

McLean was selected by Melbourne with pick No.5 in the 2003 national draft and twice finished in the top three of the Demons' best and fairest.

He played six seasons at Melbourne before being traded to the Blues for pick No.11 (Jordan Gysberts) in 2009. 

Carlton has now delisted seven players this off-season, having already cut Andrew McInnes and Tom Temay, along with rookies Jaryd Cachia and Luke Reynolds.