West Brom striker Kevin Phillips admits his side are likely to lose some star players after their defeat by Derby in the Championship play-off final.
Jason Koumas, Diomansy Kamara and Curtis Davies have already been linked with moves away from The Hawthorns.
Phillips, 33, told BBC Sport: "I'd like to see all our top players stay but of course that is not going to happen.
"There are players who will want to move on but if they do go we will have to replace them with quality."
The Baggies managed to keep the majority of their squad together when they were relegated from the Premiership in 2006.
But Monday's defeat by the Rams at Wembley could see the break-up of manager Tony Mowbray's side.
"We were the better team on the day and showed why we were favourites but the better team does not always win games and that was the case here"
"I have no idea how many players will be here next season," said Mowbray. "What I do know is that I only want players who want to be here.
"You can only achieve if you have got a camaraderie and a spirit and a togetherness about you so, if anyone wants to leave, they know where my office is and we can try to sort out things."
Former England striker Phillips agrees it would be difficult to stand in any player's way if they decide to leave.
"I know how good some of our players are," added Phillips. "For example, Jason Koumas is a Premiership player and he definitely wants to play there.
"I would love to see him here next year - he has been outstanding for us all season, as he was at Wembley too - but we will have to wait and see."
Phillips has tasted play-off defeat before when he was part of the Sunderland team that lost to Charlton in the 1998 Championship final.
But he admits this latest loss hit him harder as it has come towards the end of his career.
"I am more disappointed than I was then because this was probably my last chance of having another crack at the Premiership," explained Phillips.
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"I knew back then that I was definitely going to play in the Premiership at some stage but now we have got to do it all again next year so it is a bitter blow.
"We were the better team on the day and showed why we were favourites but the better team does not always win games and that was the case here.
"Derby's captain Matt Oakley said that if we had scored in the second half then we probably would have won the game.
"But they have defended exceptionally well and took their chance when it came. Unfortunately we did not."
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