ORAZIO Fantasia says he is locked into remaining at Essendon next year despite speculation on his future continuing.

The Essendon speedster has been linked to a move back to South Australia since AFL.com.au reported in July that Port Adelaide and Adelaide were monitoring his movements.

Fantasia is contracted until the end of 2021, but clubs continue to raise his name in trade discussions.

The 23-year-old said he will "definitely" be at the Bombers next year, but didn't rule out a move back to his home state at some stage of his career. He will become a free agent when his current contract expires.

"Who knows? My family are from there but I'm really, really happy here. Unless something massive changes, I can't see it happening," he said on Thursday.

Fantasia has more immediate things in his mind, with the Bombers returning to the finals for the first time since 2017 for their elimination final against West Coast.

He has managed a hip injury in the second half of the season and was rested for last week's loss to Collingwood.

But Fantasia, who will require surgery on the hip post-season, is set to return to face the Eagles.

"Because we made the finals I was able to take that last game off and get a good block of training in which I haven't had for a while, so to have three weeks of good training will hold me in good stead," Fantasia said.

"After the Sydney game [in round 16] is when it flared up a little bit, but like all of the boys they're dealing with things going out there, so I've just put that in the back of my mind and am playing my role.

"I think most players have to deal with some sort of pain."

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Fantasia's output has been hit during the injury-impacted second half of the season, with the forward only managing five goals from his past seven games.

However, he remains one of the club's most important players with his line-breaking speed and class, and could be crucial against the Eagles at Optus Stadium.

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"[The injury's] definitely affected my speed and change of direction and my ability to work up and down the ground, which is my strength really and how I get my opponents," he said.

"I've focused a lot more on setting up teammates and being a real leader out there, and I feel like that part of my game has been able to step up to a new level, which I'm pretty happy with."

Fantasia is set to be joined by Dyson Heppell (foot), Jake Stringer (soreness) and Cale Hooker (soreness/illness) in a batch of star Bombers returning for the elimination final as the club aims to break a 15-year drought without a finals victory.