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Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle has officially entered the race to become the new manager of Olympique de Marseille, making a direct approach to club president Pablo Longoria to present his case, footynaija.com reports.
Marseille are currently without a permanent coach after the departure of Roberto De Zerbi, and early favourite Habib Beye is now out of the picture following collapsed talks. That change has opened the door for new names, and Chelle has wasted no time stepping forward.
🚨🔵⚪️ #OM
— Fabrice Romain (@FabriceRom_) February 15, 2026
EXCL: Éric Chelle a posé sa candidature pour le poste d’entraîneur de l’OM !
Le technicien malien a pris les devants suite à la démission de Mehdi Benatia et a pris contact avec Pablo Longoria.
En privé, il dit avoir « les couilles » pour être l’homme de la… pic.twitter.com/DH7Od0qZMV
The 48-year-old, who is under contract with Nigeria until 2027, is believed to be confident he can handle the pressure of managing one of France’s biggest clubs. His bold move has caught attention in French football, especially as he has spent recent years working at international level rather than in club football.
Chelle’s coaching journey in Europe has included spells with smaller teams such as Martigues and Boulogne, which means he has never managed a club with Marseille’s size, history, and fan expectations. That lack of top-level club experience may make his task harder, even though Marseille’s leadership is listening to all serious candidates.
Other coaches are also being considered. Former FC Nantes boss Pierre Aristouy has been linked, while Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição remains an option despite contractual challenges abroad. Ex-Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier has also been mentioned.
For now, interim coach Pancho Abardonado remains in charge.
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