Roy Hodgson has revealed his desire to retain Yohan Cabaye as the Crystal Palace midfielder enters the final months of his contract.
The France international, a £10million recruit by Alan Pardew in 2015, has struggled for consistency amid the instability at Selhurst Park, but in Hodgson's system he has significantly improved.
His role is similar to that given to Danny Murphy when Hodgson arrived at Fulham in 2007, after which the former England man produced his finest form despite his career having been in decline, and the manager is convinced of Cabaye's importance.
Until a new contract is agreed Palace will remain at risk of losing him for free at the season's end, but Hodgson expects their director of football Dougie Freedman to soon give the 31-year-old his attention.