Midfielder Brock McLean believes he can make a fresh start at Carlton after turning his back on Melbourne after six seasons in the red and the blue.
The Demons have agreed to accept Carlton's first round selection, pick No.11, at November's national draft in exchange for McLean pending a successful medical.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the Blues' medical staff at Visy Park on Thursday, McLean, whose uncle Ricky played 19 matches with Carlton between 1966 and '71, said it was simply time to move on.
"Just a fresh start, that's what my gut was telling me, that I needed a bit of a change," McLean said.
"I just thought that was going to be the best thing for me and the best thing for the club."
The 25-year-old, who was a first round selection, No.5 overall, at the 2003 national draft from the Calder Cannons, said it had been a difficult decision to quit the Demons for whom he played 94 games.
"I had a lot of time to think about it, three or four weeks, and decisions like that are never easy," he said.
"It was a hard decision, but one I felt I had to make."
The Blues' interest in a mid-career midfielder such as McLean is understandable given speculation that veteran onballer Nick Stevens is set to announce his retirement because of complications related to a serious neck injury sustained early in 2007.
Stevens underwent delicate spinal surgery but made a successful return to the field, playing all 22 games last year and 17 in 2009 including the Blues' elimination final loss to the Brisbane Lions.