Gary Lineker says he would love David Beckham to replace Alan Hansen as the new Match of the Day pundit.
Hansen will leave the BBC after 22 years following the 2014 World Cup, and with Mark Lawrenson already being phased out by the corporation there are vacant berths in the Salford studio.
A programme in desperate need of an overhaul, show anchor Lineker overlooked Beckham's general diplomacy and suggested him as a Match of the Day candidate.
"I'd love to get David Beckham but I think he has made it pretty clear where his career lies," he told The Sun. "With Alan about to retire, there is a space for the next big star of punditry – and hopefully we will find him."
"I am going to miss Alan. He has been at the top of his field for 20 years and is brilliant."
Match of the Day has received intense criticism in recent years for its 19th hole chumminess and lack of insight.
Lineker however defended the BBC's coverage of Premier League games and claimed the 90-minute time slot left pundits at a disadvantage.
"Being a pundit on Match of the Day is, by far, the most difficult show to do," he explained. "There is so very little time between games to get over a valid point and do some key analysis."