West Coast skipper Oscar Allen has almost certainly played his final game for the club, with the Eagles confirming on Thursday he has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

It comes after The West Australian revealed on it’s front and back page on Thursday the forward’s time as an Eagle was all but over, despite the club’s initial claims he would only be out for the “medium-term.”

West Coast football manager Gavin Bell said on Thursday the 26-year-old had decided to have surgery on his knee earlier in the day — which he has struggled with across recent seasons — after the injury to his calf/Achilles on Sunday had made it “unlikely” he would return this year.

Allen, who is co-captain alongside Liam Duggan, is out of contract at the end of 2025 and is all but certain to land at Brisbane, who are believed to have tabled a six-year deal.

Hawthorn is also interested in the skipper, who met with coach Sam Mitchell when he was in Perth earlier this year.

It is understood Allen’s injury has not impacted his interest from rival clubs.

Bell said on Thursday undergoing surgery allowed Allen the maximum rehabilitation period to be ready for the pre-season.

“Oscar has been dealing with some knee soreness related to his patella tendon and, after we gathered more information that he was unlikely to return this season due to his calf/Achilles injury, the decision was made by Oscar and the club for him to undergo surgery today,” he said.

Allen suffered the calf/Achilles blow during the loss to Carlton on Sunday, with The West understanding the star was in tears in the changerooms after.

The Eagles are likely to receive band one compensation should he depart at the end of the season, giving the club picks one and two in the draft.

Allen has struggled with repeated injuries, playing just 11 games last season, and will finish with just 12 games this year after missing the entirety of 2022 with a foot issue.

With the Eagles still languishing at the bottom of the table amid an extensive rebuild, many in the AFL landscape had urged the club to wrap Allen in cotton wool to protect his trade value.

“There’s nothing to gain for his value going up. There’s nothing to gain by helping West Coast win, because it doesn’t matter,” Kane Cornes said on The Agenda Setters.

“The only thing he can do is get injured and affect his value for the next club. He should just sit out for the rest of the year. That’s what should happen.”

However, the Eagles have stated they have not given up hope of retaining Allen beyond this season, having tabled a three-year deal to the co-captain, with triggers for a fourth.

Allen is among a handful of senior big-name players who are sidelined for the bottom-placed Eagles.

Fellow key forward Jake Waterman (shoulder) is out for the season, with 2018 grand final hero Dom Sheed (knee) also inactive for the rest of the year.

Star defender Jeremy McGovern’s career remains up in the air as he awaits the outcome of his appearance in front of the AFL’s concussion panel, while midfield gun Elliot Yeo remains at least three weeks away from his first game of the season as he works to overcome an ankle injury.