The Collingwood Magpies are the latest AFL club to show interest in troubled Melbourne star Clayton Oliver, who has recently been told by incoming Demons senior coach Steven King to explore his trade options.

According to AFL Media's Cal Twomey, the Pies are understood to be considering a play for Oliver as a way to upgrade their ageing midfield, and will likely look to offer the Demons some of their selections in the National Draft to make a deal work, currently holding Picks 38, 57, 69 and 75.

Collingwood GM of List and Talent Strategy Justin Leppitsch confirmed on Monday that the Pies' will be considering Oliver as the trade period unfolds.

"We're doing our due diligence. It came in late last week, bordering on the weekend. We got the call from his management," Leppitsch said.

"We're trying to focus on the deal itself. Is it a good thing for the club? Is it a good thing for our culture? Is it a good fit positionally?

"We go through that with every player we speak to. We'll go through the same process [with Oliver].

"[His contract] is of course a factor. There's talk that his contract, we may not have to pay the whole lot. Again, we haven't gone through those steps yet.

"We know we have spots... to reshape our midfield. We do have an aging midfield, we understand that. Clay's still got a few good years left in them as well.

"On the surface, it seems like a really good thing for us to pursue."

Leppitsch said that Oliver has "not as of yet" expressed direct interest in playing for Collingwood next season, however.

It has been reported that the Demons are willing to pay as much as $700,000 of Oliver's yearly salary in order to engineer a trade for the 28-year-old, which could be to the benefit of Collingwood. The monster contract, which Oliver signed in 2022, expires in 2030.

The opportunity to be a key component of Collingwood's midfield alongside Nick Daicos appears as the obvious reason for Oliver to consider joining the Pies.

While Daicos has been an exceptional clearance winner at centre bounces and in stoppage battles, leading Collingwood's midfield in first possessions and clearances per game, he thrives on the run as a receiver. Getting a player with the ball-winning capacity of Oliver would help establish greater opportunity for Daicos to get those runs.

Furthermore, the unavoidable doubts over Collingwood's ageing list will continue into next season if the midfield remains as is. Five Magpies averaged at least 20 disposals per game this season and three of them are at least 32 years old; Crisp (32), Sidebottom (34) and Pendlebury (37).

The addition of Oliver, therefore, can help cover some of that workload on the elder members of the club and reduce the pressure on the Daicos brothers in the congested areas of the ground.

The GWS Giants remain the frontrunners to land Oliver's nomination, and have met with the 28-year-old, with senior coach Adam Kingsley in attendance to attempt to convince Oliver to move north of the Victorian border.