Southampton manager Ronald Koeman understands that, come summer, it will be difficult to keep hold of Morgan Schneiderlin.
The French midfielder has been a subject of interest from various major clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham and Koeman is bracing himself if a big club comes knocking on the door.
Koeman admits that after seven years of faithful service, it may be harder to hang onto him in the next transfer window than it was last summer.
"It's more difficult, it's more difficult," said the Saints boss who as a player, left PSV Eindhoven for Barcelona in 1989.
"I understand, because I got the possibilities to change the team and to go to a big team from Holland - to Barcelona at that time - but I understand, it's difficult.
"We try, we try, but we try to keep him longer than he is normally, and that is for the rest of the players as well - we do everything.
"But there is a stop that we can't do more and then it's all about the decision of the player."