Marseille playmaker Andre Ayew has revealed that the French side's decision to cut his wages is one of the key reasons behind his decision to leave the club to play in the other top leagues of Europe.
The Ghana international was ready to maintain his wages to stay at the club and extend his expiring contract but the club refused.
The talented star will not accept a wage cut to stay at the Ligue 1 club amid reports he is angling for a move to the Premier League.
Ayew, 25, is out of contract this summer and is reportedly being trailed by Arsenal, Newcastle and Swansea.
Italian sides Rome and Napoli are also considered suitors for the player, who has scored 11 goals for club and country this season.
And it appears Marseille were not ready to hold onto their star man after he revealed he isn't interested in reducing his £3million-a-year wages.
"Lower my salary to stay at Marseille? Would you lower your salary?," Ayew said
"I expected more, I wanted the club to have a competitive team next year to play the title and it is not insured. And the club could not offer me the same wage," the youngster said yesterday indicating the club's decision to maintain his wages.
Ayew's contract will expire at the end of June, bringing to an end almost a lifetime's association with the club.
The midfielder's father - Abedi Pele - played for the club, while Ayew signed his first contract with Marseille as a 17-year-old.
Ayew has made 206 appearances for Marseille in all competitions, winning two Coupe de la Ligue titles but missing the 2009-10 French championship as he was on loan at Arles-Avignon that season.
Apart from that loan and a stint at Lorient the season before, Ayew has only ever played for Marseille since returning to France - the land of his birth - from Ghana.
It is the third season in a row that Marseille have lost a key player with Mathieu Valbuena having departed to Dynamo Moscow last year, while Loic Remy left midway through the 2012-13 campaign.