Roy Hodgson confesses he cannot guarantee Jimmy Bullard will stay at Fulham but has revealed the midfielder is in contract negotiations at Craven Cottage.
Last season Bullard requested an extension to the two years left on his deal after helping Fulham stay in the Premier League but was told he must wait.
The 29-year-old approached the board for a second time in the wake of his England call-up in September and was given the same answer.
Manager Hodgson states the club's hand has been forced by Bullard's ongoing involvement with England and admits it may be difficult to retain him if a big offer is made in the January transfer window.
"You don't want to lose your best players. He has a year-and-a-half left on his contract, and I hope he stays," said Hodgson.
"But I have to be realistic in that if a top player is in form and doing well then he will be coveted by the other clubs.
"I can't give stonewall guarantee that we'll be able to hold on to him. I hope we can, but we'll have to wait and see what happens in the transfer window.
"I suppose the fact he's getting international recognition has forced the contract talks along.
"In the beginning, he was asked to show some patience and wait until the end of this year.
"Negotiations have opened up, and it's an ongoing process. I'm sure that we'll see a solution in the near future but I don't want to be put on the spot over the time frame."
Hodgson has made his recommendation to Fulham's board and is content to let them complete the talks with one of the club's prized assets.
"We've discussed Jimmy, but there are complicated issues involved - finance and money," he added.
"The board knows my feelings on the subject and they know Jimmy's feelings, so it's up to them to sort the matter out."
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