"I never threatened them" — Eric Chelle finally reveals truth behind Marseille rumours

Eric Chelle has firmly denied using rumours of a move to French side Olympique de Marseille to pressure the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) into renegotiating his contract.

Speculation linking the Malian tactician to the Ligue 1 club surfaced after Roberto De Zerbi's departure from Marseille, amid reports of Chelle's interest or his agents proposing him for the vacancy.

However, Marseille ultimately appointed Habib Beye as their new manager, and no deal materialized.

The NFF, through General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, dismissed any knowledge of an agreement between Chelle and the French side, emphasizing that the coach remains under contract with Nigeria until January 2027.

In a recent interview, Chelle addressed the rumours directly. He stated: “I have never gone to Nigeria to say I was going to leave for Marseille or to renegotiate everything.

"There is no interview or statement where I said I would go to Marseille or that I was threatening anyone.”

This comes amid separate reports of a leaked 19-point document outlining Chelle's conditions for a contract extension with the NFF, including demands for improved salary and operational support following Nigeria's third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The NFF has denied receiving or being aware of such formalized demands in some statements, while Chelle has acknowledged the document's authenticity but questioned how it was leaked.

Chelle has been linked with a host of teams after Nigeria's impressive showing at AFCON 2025, including Tunisia, who were reportedly prepared to double his current salary.

However, the Malian tactician remains locked in talks with the NFF to agree fresh terms.