Olympique de Marseille manager Habib Beye has moved to reassure Nigerian midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi, despite his slow start since arriving in January, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 22-year-old joined the French club from Zulte Waregem for €6 million, but has found opportunities hard to come by. So far, he has made just three brief appearances in Ligue 1, all from the bench, playing only 26 minutes in total.
Speaking at a press conference, Beye made it clear that he is happy with what he has seen from the young midfielder, especially without the ball.
“No, Nnadi makes a very good impression on me, but it's in this area where we have the most players, we have seven or eight midfielders. So, in this situation, rotation isn't necessarily frequent for them.”
Competition in midfield has been a major reason behind Nnadi’s lack of minutes. With several experienced options available, breaking into the starting team has been difficult for a player still adapting to a new league and environment.
Even so, Beye believes Nnadi has already shown qualities that could make him important in the future.
“I'm very satisfied with his contribution, especially defensively and his ability to press four or five meters.”
The coach pointed to the Nigerian’s physical strength and discipline as key assets, describing him as one of the strongest defensive players in the squad. For a team chasing a top-three finish, such qualities are highly valued.
But Beye also made it clear that improvement is needed if Nnadi is to earn more playing time.
Nnadi: Development and Marseille’s bigger picture
While Nnadi’s defensive work has impressed, Beye wants more from him going forward, especially in a two-man midfield system where players are expected to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
“Having spoken with him, I'd also like to see him work on that offensively. He needs to be able to inject some dynamism; in a two-man midfield, you need players who can also contribute in the second line.”
This means adding more energy in attack, supporting forwards, and helping create chances, areas where Nnadi is still developing. Reports suggested that Beye was not pleased with the Nigeria international and he could look to ship him out in the summer.
But the Senegalese manager says nothing could be farther from the truth.
“In his development and adaptation, he needs to work towards that, but we're very satisfied with his attitude and what he does defensively.”
Nnadi’s slow start has also been affected by changes behind the scenes. He signed under former coach Roberto De Zerbi, who left shortly after, forcing the midfielder to adjust quickly to a new manager and system.
Despite the challenges, Beye insists patience will be key.
“We need to continue working with him on his adaptation to gradually integrate him into the team. Like everyone else, he'll have his chance to play. Sometimes, it takes a little more time.”
Marseille’s season is entering a crucial stage, with six league matches left and a tight race for Champions League qualification. The club currently sits fourth, just one point off third place, meaning every game matters.
