Tim Sherwood is ready to resolve Christian Benteke's Aston Villa future, but only after taking the club to the FA Cup final.
The Villa manager will talk with the striker in the summer after his return to form, but admits he cannot keep Benteke against his will.
Benteke is set to spearhead Villa at Wembley on Sunday when they face Liverpool in the FA Cup semifinal.
He has scored nine goals in his last eight games for Villa and Belgium after being revitalised since Sherwood replaced Paul Lambert in February.
And Sherwood is keen to sit down with Benteke, with the 24-year-old contracted to Villa until 2017.
Sherwood said: "It's certainly something that will have to be addressed.
"You don't really want players going into the last 18 months of their contract. He's someone for the long-term future of the club and you need to protect your interests.
"He's focused at the moment just on playing football and that's what I want him to be. I haven't had any discussion.
"If he wanted to come and see me next week about his future, I wouldn't want to talk to him to be honest. It would be: 'Let's leave it until the end of the season and see where we are and I'll give you an honest appraisal of where I think we can be.' They all can have that conversation, not just Christian.
"We don't want to sell out best players. I also want players who want to play at the football club.
"He's made no indication to me that he wants to play elsewhere. If he does then we will assess the situation but we want to keep him at the club. You can't force any player, I've been one myself.
"You might as well take the money because you end up without the money or the player if you don't take it."
Villa face Liverpool at Wembley with Raheem Sterling having been warned by boss Brendan Rodgers for apparently inhaling nitrous oxide and smoking a shisha pipe.
Sherwood insisted the England star should not do it, but does have sympathy with the 20-year-old.
"No, but let's hope he's not laughing after Sunday," he said. "It is hard not to criticise but I have a wee bit of sympathy.
"He's a great talent, a good guy, I've known him since he was a young boy. He's someone we have to watch and show a lot of respect to."
And Sherwood hopes Steven Gerrard will watch the FA Cup final on holiday in May as he nears the end of his Liverpool career.
Gerrard will leave Anfield to join LA Galaxy in the summer, with his last game a potential FA Cup final should the Reds beat Villa.
Sherwood added: "Believe it or not it's not about spoiling the party for Steven Gerrard. It's about what we can do and to be honest we're hoping that he's on his holiday in May.
"The thing with Steven Gerrard is that he's one of those players who comes through people's academies where they have not got to prove themselves too much.
"I used to say to a lot of people: 'Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney don't fall off the tree in these academies very often."'