Martin O'Neill believes a long line of suitors will be pursuing the signature of England and Wigan Athletic striker Emile Heskey when his current contract at the JJB Stadium ends this summer.
And while the Aston Villa manager refuses to shed light on rumours that he may be near the front of that queue, he has certainly confirmed his admiration for the 30-year-old who spent five years with him at Leicester City between 1995 and 2000.
O'Neill is delighted Heskey's career is back on track at Wigan and that the star has forced his way into Fabio Capello's plans for England after some four years in the wilderness, although the Villa boss is going all out for a Villa win come Sunday in the Barclays Premier League.
The Northern Irishman said: "Things are going really well for Emile. He did wonderfully well for us on the pitch when we were at Leicester City and also did brilliantly off the pitch."
For all his goals and assists, Heskey's behaviour behind the scenes most enamoured O'Neill to the player and ensured he remains a great admirer to this day.
He said: "I will never forget that Emile signed an extra year's contract with us at Leicester when he could have allowed his contract to run out. He could, if he had wanted to, gone off to Spain and played one year there and then come back and signed for Liverpool. Had that been the case then Leicester City would not have got any money.
"But we did and we got £11 million for him so he did very well by Leicester City and I will never really forget that."
O'Neill's eulogy, which he has no doubt used to warn his Villa players ahead of Sunday's clash, continued: "On the field of play he is excellent and we were really disappointed to see him go back then because at the time we were getting a really good side together - him and Stan Collymore up front. We were very strong in the middle of the field and had really decent defenders and a talented goalkeeper.
"We were very strong but Emile wanted to play for Liverpool and wanted to play alongside Michael Owen."
Heskey's lack of goals has been held against him at times but the striker, who also played at Birmingham City under Wigan boss Steve Bruce, has far more to his game according to O'Neill - his former mentor.
O'Neill said: "The one thing is he has never scored enough goals and I think Emile would find it hard to say otherwise. But the Emile Heskey who thundered past the full back and made that goal for Wayne Rooney and England the other day is the Heskey I fondly remember.
"He is brilliant and whenever his confidence is high - he is a player who is really strong and a handful. He is now going past players again perhaps something before Emile might not have done."
The Villa manager added: "I have the utmost regard for him but what he does with the rest of his life is up to him."
O'Neill's opposite number in the dug-out at the JJB Stadium on Sunday will be his old adversary and good friend Steve Bruce - the manager who he enjoyed derby-day banter with during their times on opposing sides of the city.
O'Neill is convinced Bruce was Heskey's saviour at Blues and again now in promoting and encouraging him at Wigan in such a way that his England career has been resurrected.
With a new strike partner in Amr Zaki, Heskey has turned provider time and again this season.
The Villa manager concluded: "I am sure Steve is a very big influence on him. I have got a lot of time for Steve Bruce. I am also sure if he allows Heskey's contract to run out he will have a number of suitors for him."
Villa have just one injury concern ahead of Sunday with striker Gabby Agbonlahor not yet returned to training after being carried off in Thursday's impressive 2-1 victory over Ajax in the Uefa Cup group stages.
Agbonlahor suffered badly cut knees and will be checked over the weekend.
Less clear is whether John Carew will play after his midweek misdemeanours which saw him in a city nightclub just hours before Thursday night's game.
That action has infuriated manager Martin O'Neill and may now cost the player his place a fine of two weeks' wages - a figure in the region of £100,000.
