Eric Chelle’s hopes of landing the Olympique Marseille job have faded after the club moved swiftly to appoint Habib Beye as Roberto De Zerbi’s replacement, Soccernet.ng reports.
This leaves the Super Eagles boss searching for a new route back into French club football.
Following Beye's appointment, Chelle has now turned his attention to another Ligue 1 opportunity, as he looks to revive his club coaching career after missing out at the Stade Vélodrome.
Eric Chelle eyes Ligue 1 club
According to Topmercato, Chelle is now positioning himself for a possible move to FC Nantes should Ahmed Kantari be relieved of his duties following a poor run of results.
The Canaries sit dangerously close to the relegation zone after suffering five consecutive league defeats, and uncertainty continues to surround Kantari’s future.
Independent journalist Romain Molina claims Chelle has already made himself available for the role, keen to return to France despite his limited top-flight managerial experience.
Eric Chelle a demandé une énorme augmentation de salaire au Nigeria tout en cherchant à se placer à l'OM et maintenant à Nantes…
Eric Chelle asked for a huge pay rise in Nigeria while trying to secure a position as manager at Olympique de Marseille and now at Nantes…
— Romain Molina (@Romain_Molina) February 18, 2026
Chelle previously played in France with Martigues and Boulogne but has never managed a Ligue 1 side, a factor that counted against him during Marseille’s selection process.
Marseille snub Eric Chelle
Marseille opted for familiarity and Ligue 1 experience by turning to Beye, who was recently dismissed by Rennes and is expected to sign a deal running until June 2027.
The club had initially considered three names to replace Roberto De Zerbi — Beye, Sergio Conceição, and Chelle. However, insiders suggested Chelle was the third choice in the race due to his lack of club-level pedigree.
The decision by OM to appoint Beye was viewed as the safer option, given his history with the club as a former captain and his knowledge of the French top flight.
Chelle demands $130,000 from NFF
Beyond his club ambitions, Chelle’s future with Nigeria has also come under scrutiny. Insider reports revealed that the coach submitted a proposal to the Nigeria Football Federation seeking a salary increase from $50,000 to $130,000 per month.
The request, which was intended to cover his full technical crew and personal assistant, was reportedly rejected by the NFF, weakening his position and fuelling speculation about his willingness to return to club management in France.
Despite leading Nigeria to a third-place finish at the last Africa Cup of Nations, Chelle remains under contract until January 2027, even as he continues to explore opportunities in Ligue 1 following Marseille’s decision to go in another direction.
