Marseille head coach Habib Beye has admitted he is impressed with Super Eagles midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi since taking the reins at the club, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nnadi completed a €6 million move from Belgian side Zulte Waregem to Marseille on transfer deadline day.
The 22-year-old defensive midfielder has seen a meteoric rise over the past two years, with the move to the Stade Vélodrome marking a significant milestone in his career.
However, since his arrival, Nnadi is yet to play a single minute for Les Phocéens. He has struggled to even make the matchday bench in the four games he has been available for, despite training consistently with the first-team squad.
Last week, expectations were high that he would at least be named as a substitute after being included in the preliminary squad to face Brest.
His subsequent absence from the final team sheet fueled concerns regarding his future at the club, particularly following the sacking of Roberto De Zerbi and the appointment of Beye on February 18. His exclusion from the Brest fixture only exacerbated these fears.
However, the French tactician has now cleared the air regarding Nnadi’s standing in the team.
Habib Beye Shares First Impressions of Tochukwu Nnadi
Speaking ahead of Marseille's high-stakes Ligue 1 clash against Lyon on Sunday, Habib Beye offered insight into his evaluation of the Nigerian midfielder.
Beye, who has had just over a week to work with the squad, explained that he simply lacked the time to integrate Nnadi before the Brest game, which took place just 48 hours after his appointment. After a full week of training, however, the coach was full of praise for the youngster.
”He’s a very interesting player because he brings a lot of physical impact and is very quick,” Beye said, via Coeur Marseillais.
“He is a mobile player who can cover a lot of ground and is highly impactful.
”Nnadi is surprising because, despite the intensity of his play, he maintains excellent control of the ball and can provide the composure we need in the center of the pitch.
”When I arrived, I spoke with him and explained that I only had 24 hours to make my decisions for the Brest match. But this week of training—like for all the players—has been of very high quality.”
In a positive turn for the Super Eagles star, Nnadi has been officially named in the matchday squad to face Lyon.
Reports from training earlier this week suggest Beye has been trialing a midfield partnership featuring Nnadi alongside Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.
While it remains to be seen if he will make the starting XI or start from the bench, Beye’s comments suggest it is now only a matter of time before Nnadi becomes a regular fixture for Marseille.
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