DAVID Zaharakis is edging closer to re-signing at Essendon, having only recently opened talks about a new deal with the club.

The in-form midfielder is the Bombers' next priority signing,  with the club having recently tied down young star Joe Daniher and emerging midfielder Darcy Parish to new deals.

Zaharakis has enjoyed some of the best form of his career in the past three months after an inconsistent start to the season, but is one of Essendon's most vital players with his dash and run through the midfield. 

He is a restricted free agent, so Essendon could match a rival's offer for him if he chose to look elsewhere at the end of the season, but the 27-year-old said he was keen to get a contract sorted "soon". 

"I love the footy club so that'd be great. I know the whole thing about if players don't sign after round 18 then they often leave and all that kind of thing, but we're still trying to get it sorted and we're still in that process," Zaharakis told AFL.com.au. 

The finalisation of the League's collective bargaining agreement in June saw a flurry of re-signing around the competition, including at Essendon where Daniher and Parish had taken priority over Zaharakis. 

He said it has only been in the past several weeks that the club and his management have had meaningful discussions over a new deal. 

"The thing is this year with the CBA and that got done late, and then Joey was obviously the first priority to get done after that, which he should be as a young player. And then Darcy as well," he said. 

"Those two have been done and we didn't start talking until about four weeks ago because those two got done. 

"I'm sure they took longer than four weeks to get done, so if my talks only started four weeks ago we're just in that process now. That's probably why it has taken so long." 

The Bombers have some significant list management decisions to make in the off-season, with former captain Jobe Watson among a group of veterans whose futures are uncertain. Brent Stanton, Heath Hocking and Ben Howlett are also unsigned for next year, but Brendon Goddard has reached a games trigger clause to play on in 2018.