The 54-year-old, who announced his resignation Thursday, has hardly ever spoken of his future plans for fear of diverting attention from the final months of his premiership.

When Blair has occasionally lifted the veil of secrecy, though, he has made plain his intention to remain a major player on the international stage.

"I think the single thing for me that is most important is that whatever I do afterwards has a real purpose to it, that it is not just about doing a job," he said in December.

"This is a position that, once you have occupied it, you have done something that has what I call a real life purpose to it.

"And certainly in anything I wanted to do afterwards, it would be a different purpose but similar in its motivation."

Blair is highly likely to step down as a lawmaker at some point soon, even though Downing Street last week dismissed a report that he would resign his parliamentary seat at the same time as he stopped being premier.

Once he goes, he could retain global influence either by taking on a high-profile job in an international institution or by setting up on his own.

Suggestions that he may take up a major job at the European Union (EU) or United Nations have been dismissed by many commentators as unlikely, given the divisive legacy of the Iraq war.

But the Financial Times has suggested that Blair has not ruled out bidding to become EU president in two years' time, quoting Downing Street sources last week.

If he did not choose this path, Blair could also work on a more freelance basis on issues close to his heart including climate change, Africa and the Middle East.

This could through a "Blair Foundation" similar to the Clinton Foundation set up by former US president Bill Clinton, which campaigns on issues such as HIV/AIDS and childhood obesity.

There are signs that the wheels are already in motion on this -- the domain name www.blairfoundation.org.uk has been registered, reportedly by Martha Greene, a confidante of Blair's wife Cherie.

Figures close to him have also sounded out the London School of Economics (LSE) about them hosting a Blair school for teaching and research on foreign and domestic affairs, according to the British media.

The Daily Telegraph reported last week that he had agreed a request from US President George W Bush to act as an envoy in a bid to revive the Middle East peace process.