Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle was like a proud father when he met with midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi after he completed his sensational transfer to top French Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille.
Nnadi, who made his Super Eagles debut last month in a friendly against Egypt in Cairo and also featured at the 2025 AFCON, has made a leap to the French top league from modest Belgian club Zulte Waregem.
“I watched him and wondered what he was still doing in that team,“ Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle told L’Equipe.
“It’s a good move by OM. I expected him to go to the Premier League.”
The Super Eagles coach spoke more on the 22-year-old defensive midfielder.
“He’s determined, doesn’t overthink things. When he arrived at his first training session, he impressed everyone and came on against Egypt (in a friendly) with a full session under his belt. He’s a real gem, this kid; you’ll be surprised because he can be very aggressive on the pitch,” he remarked
“He’s very quick, powerful, and capable of winning back possession from opponents, with that aggressive approach over about fifteen meters to chase down the ball carrier.
“With the ball, he plays a simple game, using his body to protect it. If he’s in an environment where the players support him and give him confidence, he’ll quickly reach his full potential.”
