Brent Stanton among four Essendon players to re-sign but Bombers rule out Jared Brennan

ESSENDON has re-signed four players, including midfielder Brent Stanton, and looks likely be a sleeper in trade week.

ESSENDON has re-signed four players, including midfielder Brent Stanton, and looks likely be a sleeper in trade week.

The Bombers have ruled out a play for Brisbane Lion Jared Brennan, who is ranked up near the $500,000 a season mark, leaving Gold Coast and Carlton to battle it out.

Gold Coast is favoured to sign him and exchange an early draft pick with the Lions.

"I wouldn't say we're definitely (off Brennan), we have some interest, but it appears other clubs have stronger interest," Bombers football manager Paul Hamilton said.

The Bombers got commitments from Stanton, Leroy Jetta, largely untried defender David Myers and small forward Alwyn Davey, who had been linked with Melbourne.

Stylish defender Bachar Houli remains out of contract and Richmond has made a serious play for him.

A two-year deal is believed to have been offered, worth somewhere between $200,000 and $250,000 a season, depending on performance.

"He's still a required player but we do understand he has offers from other clubs," Hamilton said.

"If he really wants to leave and we can't convince him otherwise, we'll certainly start looking at seeing what we could do at the trade table."

Tigers football manager Craig Cameron said last night: "They'll have a crack at keeping him, and that's fair enough ... but he'll help us, he's an outside player who can kick it well."

The Bombers are keen to recruit midfielders after missing out on Port Adelaide's Travis Boak and Steven Salopek and Fremantle's David Mundy.

"It's about quality," Hamilton said. "We want to build and develop, but our midfield depth is something we're quite aware of and need to build."

The four Bombers have agreed to two-year deals.

"We believe there is a lot of upside in all four players and certainly the coach does as well," Hamilton said.

Under no circumstances will Essendon trade away its No. 8 selection.