Hearts manager Jim Jefferies says Ghanaian midfielder Laryea Kingston will have to accept a significant pay cut if he wants to stay at the Scottish club.
Kingston is out of contract in the summer and the Ghana midfielder has yet to hold talks regarding an extension with the SPL club.
Jefferies has suggested he would be keen to have Kingston in his squad next season, but warned the club do not have the finances to match his current pay packet.
"I've said sometimes you have to let people go that you don't want to lose," Jefferies told Edinburgh Evening News. "Whether we can keep Larry will depend on a lot of things: work permits, terms, everything.
"We haven't got to the stage of discussing that yet. I'll have a wee word. I think we need time to assess the squad and find out what we can do.
"If we feel he might want to stay, certainly it would be on terms that would be greatly reduced to what he is on.
"If he can't do that and he gets a better offer elsewhere then he goes with good wishes because he's been a terrific player since I've taken charge of him.
"He's shown that in his performances over the last three or four games."