Adelaide have confirmed their interest in Essendon forward Orazio Fantasia, with the club awaiting an official trade request from the Bomber.
Fantasia has been anticipated to move to South Australia at the conclusion of this season after going out-of-favour at Tullamarine and originally planning a switch home 12 months ago.
The 25-year-old looked likely to be traded to Port Adelaide in 2019 before backflipping on any potential move.
Fantasia will become the third Essendon player to confirm their desire to leave the club, with defender Adam Saad and forward Joe Daniher requesting to depart the Bombers.
Unlike Saad and Daniher, Fantasia is contracted to the club for next season.
Adelaide's head of football Adam Kelly revealed the club were keen on acquiring the Bombers forward.
โWe understand he wants to come back to South Australia,โ Kelly said on SEN SA Breakfast.
โAny player who has gone interstate who wants to return home weโre keen to talk to and I understand what their motivations are.
โWeโre just not sure where that one will lie and how that will play out, but weโre always keen to talk to South Australians who want to come home.โ
Injuries have kept the Essendon live-wire sidelined across the last three seasons, with the Crows keen on having the forward undergo medical testing before any confirmed move.
โAs youโd imagine there would be some obvious concern there. I think heโs played 33 games over the past three years, so heโs had some durability issues,โ Kelly said.
โOur medical team, if we went down that path they would make a thorough assessment because that obviously presents as an area of risk, but hopefully for Orazio itโs something that can be managed and he can get back to playing that footy he played back in 2016, 2017.โ
Speaking on midfielder Brad Crouch, Kelly said the club were considering every option.
โI think thatโll come (soon). Brad and his management will present any offer theyโve received from other clubs through their decision,โ he said.
โAs is the way with restricted free agency, weโll sit there and consider those offers and whether weโre going to be in position to match.
โThe status hasnโt really changed, but weโre drawing closer to those offers being presented.โ
