Ghana striker Jordan Ayew has quashed claims of nepotism influencing his stint with Olympique Marseille.
Ayew says he proved himself before getting the chance to play for the French Ligue 1 giants.
The 29-year-old forward played for the Marseille from 2009 to 2014 where he achieved 111 appearances and scored 14 goals before moving to England.
Ayew joined Marseille as a trainee in 2006 and signed a three-year professional contract with Marseille in 2009.
He made his senior debut on December 16, 2009, scoring the equaliser against Lorient in a league fixture. Marseille won 2-1.
Ayew's father Abedi Ayew Pele is a legend of Marseille having played for them from 1987 to 1993, making 112 appearances and scoring 23 goals.
Pele was instrumental for The Olympians when they won the UEFA Champions League in the 1992/1993 season, the only French club to win it.
The suspicions of nepotism influencing Marseille to sign Jordan Ayew were never too far away.
But the Crystal Palace forward says he had to prove himself before joining the team.
"Some people thought that I was only at Marseille because of my dad," he told the Daily Mail.
"I had to prove myself, to show everyone that I deserve to be where I am today."
Ayew had a scintillating campaign in the English Premier League last season scooping the best player award at Palace after emerging the club's top scorer netting 9 goals.