West Ham manager Avram Grant insisted sought-after midfielder Scott Parker will remain his Hammers' heartbeat.
Grant also backed England internationals Robert Green and Matthew Upson to overcome their World Cup disappointment.
Tottenham had a bid for Parker - reportedly valued at £7million - swept angrily off the table by West Ham chairman David Sullivan on Wednesday.
And Grant said: "We want to plan to improve for the next few seasons and Scott Parker is a big part of this process. He is a very good player and has a good influence on the young players.
"I'm sure if he was for sale that other teams would want him as well. But we are a team with ambition and we want to progress."
Source: PA