Daniel Levy wrote an open letter to Tottenham fans on the final day of the Premier League season, insisting he would not listen to offers for Gareth Bale or Luka Modric."We shall simply not entertain any approaches for these players," the Spurs chairman stated.
No mention of his manager though. Yet keeping Harry Redknapp is just as vital for next season and beyond as Bale, Modric and now Sandro, after the Brazil midfielder's performances at the end of the campaign attracted interest from AC Milan.
Redknapp's work at White Hart Lane during the last two-and-a-half seasons means he has been linked with the Chelsea job already since the campaign ended and he is the prime candidate to take over from Fabio Capello as England manager after next year's European Championships.
Spurs have finished fourth and fifth under Redknapp and there is the potential to unravel if the most important man at the club departs.
Not only does he get the best out of Modric - who was overlooked by Juande Ramos - Redknapp also has a vision for the club.
He said: "They just need to keep pushing on. The chairman knows that. Daniel is as ambitious as anybody and we're looking for players, scouting the world for one or two that can come in.
"I certainly feel we need three players of real quality if you're going to be with those top four teams, or it'll be very difficult."
The relationship Redknapp has with chief scout Ian Broomfield is a healthy one, after Spurs scrapped their continental system where Damien Comolli recruited players in his role as sporting director.
"It was a great move for me and I think it was a fantastic move for Tottenham as well," Redknapp added. "They were struggling, going nowhere at the time, and it couldn't have worked out better for the both of us.
"I love it there, it's a great club with fantastic potential - building a new training ground, good team, good players. That's where my future is. But you never know, a few bad results and you could be under pressure. At the moment I couldn't be any happier."
The good news for Spurs and Levy is that Redknapp views the England job as a "poisoned chalice", albeit one that he would find difficult to turn down. Levy has previously stated he could not stand in the way of ambition if such an opportunity arose.
"It would always be difficult for any manager but it's a difficult job," Redknapp said. "Capello has found it hard and he is a top, top manager if you look at his record and what he's done. He's top of the tree and he's found it difficult.
"Everyone since Alf Ramsey has found it difficult. Bobby Robson had a good spell and Terry Venables did a great job but lots of other great managers have tried and found it very hard. I think it's a hard job to take on, almost a poisoned chalice.
"But it is a job that, if you're English and got offered it, whether it's me or another Englishman, you'd find it hard to say no, I'm sure."
Spurs may hope for Redknapp being denied the chance to say "yes" to England. There is another year before that bridge has to be crossed but leaving this summer would be a disaster.
