Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is keen to instil a leader into his team when he delves into the summer transfer market.
Redknapp has failed with moves for authoritative veterans Mark van Bommel and Phil Neville in the last year, while he has constantly been linked with West Ham United’s Scott Parker, who is set to leave Upton Park now that the Hammers have failed in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
However, ex-West Ham boss Redknapp would not go as far as to commit that he will again try and get Football Writers' Association Player of the Year Parker, even if he was all but saying he is exactly the man he needs in his squad.
"We lack one or two strong characters," Redknapp said on Friday as he looked ahead to his side’s final game of the season at home to Birmingham City on Sunday.
"It's important that you have one or two leaders. I'd rather find players in this country that can do the job, rather than hope they can do it, if I can.
"Scott is a quiet boy but he is a leader because on the pitch he leads by example. I'm not just saying necessarily Scott but we need to find one or two that are that type if we can.
"He is footballer of the year. There will be a lot of big clubs interested in him. Liverpool and Arsenal are, I hear.
"When you look at the people who have won that FWA award it's amazing. He will not be going somewhere like he did at Chelsea and play a little bit here and there. He will want to go somewhere and be the main player."
Meanwhile, on the back of a succession of high-profile gaffes from his number one goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, Redknapp has also been linked with Manchester City’s out-of-favour stopper Shay Given, as well as his club-mate Emmanuel Adebayor, the former Arsenal forward.
Yet the Spurs boss again poured cold water on talk of moves for that pair, suggesting that City are not willing to deal with them given the sides’ proximity in the league table.
"We wouldn't get Shay Given from Man City, they don't seem to want to deal with us," he said
"We have tried before to get their players. I tried to sign Craig Bellamy but they wouldn't let him come here.
"I like Shay Given but I don't know if he's fit either. He has had a bit of a shoulder problem. It has come out a couple of times, so we will have to wait and see.
"Adebayor would be difficult. I don't know if it's true but they were talking about him earning £170k a week."