Marseille's president Vincent Labrune has told the Independent the club will not be able to keep Andre Ayew this summer with the attacking midfielder bound for Italy or England.
The son of OM legend Abedi Pele, Ayew, 25, has come through the youth ranks at the Stade Velodrome to become a key member of the Marseille side in recent seasons.
Out of contract this summer, Ayew had suggested he may extend his deal with OM, but Labrune has conceded defeat in the fight to keep the Ghana international with the Ligue 1 side's finances tight.
"We can't keep Ayew," he said. "Andre is a very important player for OM, but we can't offer him the salaries that English clubs can. The French financial system is very complicated, and we can't offer him the equivalent of what he could earn in England."
ESPN FC sources revealed that Tottenham were monitoring the striker, who has also reportedly received offers from Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Dortmund, Schalke, Inter Milan and Swansea City.
Meanwhile L'Equipe reported Ayew has chosen to join Roma on the condition the Serie A outfit qualify for next season's Champions League.
"We cannot ask Andre, whom we love and who is an icon of our team, to accept a lower salary than the one he is on now," Labrune continued. "That would be a nonsense, so, unfortunately, he's going to leave the club and we hope he'll have the great career he deserves in England or elsewhere."
Labrune also revealed he hopes to establish a partnership with Premier League champions Chelsea after meeting the Blues' sporting director, Michael Emenalo, last week.
The move would see promising youngsters from Chelsea's junior sides or those on the fringes of the first-team join Marseille to gain experience of senior football with the English club taking on part of their salary.
Chelsea already have a similar deal with Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem.