Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp wants to sign West Ham's Paulo di Canio in the summer - if he can afford him.
Di Canio's current deal with the Hammers ends this summer but the East London club are unable to offer a new deal until the possibility of relegation from the Premiership has been averted.
Portsmouth look to be heading in the opposite direction, with Radknapp's men leading Nationwide Division One.
"Paolo is one of the best players I've ever seen," said Redknapp, who signed di Canio for West Ham from Sheffield Wednesday.
"I would love to sign him again if he leaves West Ham in the summer and becomes a free agent," he told The Sun.
Di Canio will be 35 in July, but Redknapp added: "He has looked after himself superbly and has a good few years left in him yet."
Raising the money to attract the Italian could be a problem for Portsmouth, however, and Redknapp admitted: "Paolo's wages could be a big obstacle.
"I can't see us paying more than Stg£10,000 a week next season."
Di Canio insisted at the weekend that West Ham had already decided to let him go in the summer.
Meanwhile, Celtic have strenuously refuted any suggestion they have made a bid for di Canio.
That followed a claim by Upton Park managing director Paul Aldridge that the Hammers had given permission for the player to speak to "a Scottish club".
PA