Ghana winger Andre Ayew has sparked hopes that he will sign for English giants Liverpool by stating that he will not make Champions League football a condition for signing for a club this summer.
The 25-year-old is on the verge of leaving his French club Marseille on Saturday and has been linked with top clubs in Europe.
Newcastle United, Arsenal, West Ham and Liverpool are among the clubs who are reported to havde contacted the talented player from the English Premier League.
Italian Serie A sides AS Roma and Inter Milan are believed to have expressed interest in the winger while German giants Dortmund, Schalke and Wolfsburg are said to be keen on him.
With the Reds out of contention for a place in Champions League, it was feared that caveat would rule Liverpool out of the race for signing the Ghana assistant captain.
That is because recent reports have suggested Italian side Roma are the favourites to sign Ayew because they could offer Champions League football.
However, the Ghanian says playing in the competition next season is not his top priority.
"It doesn't have to be a Champions league club. I've played in the competition before, it's the best competition in the world but it's not the first criteria," he said.
"I think the first criteria is the team project, what the team wants to do in the future because I want to play for a long time and try to win trophies because that's what football is all about."
"It's important for me to choose, not the club playing in the Champions League now, but the club that has a great project for the future."
Ayew's departure from Marseille will bring to an end a 28-year association that his family have with the club.
His father Abedi Pele signed for Marseille in 1987 and went on to be part of their Champions League-winning team in 1993.
Younger brother Jordan also started his career at the State Velodrome but has since joined Lorient, making the switch in July last year.
Ayew, a former BBC African Footballer of the Year, had talks with Queens Park Rangers in January but they came to nothing.