BRISBANE forward Will McLachlan has requested a trade to Melbourne, according to AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey.

McLachlan met with the Demons and Essendon earlier this week, while the Lions have also been keen to hold onto him.

The 21-year-old has settled on the Dees, having struggled to break into the AFL side at the Lions.

McLachlan made his AFL debut in 2025, having been picked mid-year the previous season, and played six games before featuring only once this year in Brisbane's premiership run.

But he showed he was a level above the VFL, having booted 35 goals in 11 games for the Lions' VFL side, including a haul of eight against North Melbourne.

Melbourne has long been linked to McLachlan, having been interested in him as a mid-season draftee after his breakout start to 2024 with the Geelong Falcons as an over-aged player.

Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Lions list boss Dom Ambrogio had again expressed a keenness to hold onto McLachlan, likening him to premiership star Kai Lohmann.

"He has no issues with the club, the city of Brisbane, homesickness, any of that. It's just opportunity for him," Ambrogio said on Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio.

"We think he's on a similar trajectory to Kai Lohmann, who played eight games in his first two years; Will's played seven. They have similar traits – quick, exciting, high-flying country boys, bring a heap of energy and excitement, one's a left-footer, one's a right-footer. We've been desperate to retain Will.

"He's just been at our club when there's been a bit of a queue in front of him. We rate him really highly. We don't intend to give him up lightly."