Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has refused to rule out a move for Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott.
The England international, who is believed to be a lifelong Villa supporter, has had an inconsistent season with the Premier League champions and has been linked with a switch away from the Etihad Stadium.
"He has been a top player and still is," BBC Sport quotes Lambert as saying. "As I've said before, I will sit with the rest of the staff and see what I can do. But I don't think you can ever dismiss it any level whenever you are talking about a top player."
Meanwhile, Lambert has claimed that striker Darren Bent is not for sale this month.