Algeria Football– AS Monaco’s revelation this season, Eliesse Ben Seghir shines in the spotlight. At only 18 years old, the young Moroccan talent displays impressive statistics: six goals and three assists in 21 matches in all competitions. However, his meteoric rise leaves a bitter taste in Mehdi Benatia, former defender and captain of the Morocco team and today advisor to Pablo Longoria at Olympique de Marseille.
In an interview with the magazine Provence 1988Benatia expressed her frustration with the transfer of Ben Seghir, who passed through the Aix-en-Provence academy before joining Monaco. For him, the young prodigy's natural place should have been at OM.
A talent from Morocco who escapes OM
“When I see Eliesse Ben Seghir who was in Aix and who is today in Monaco, I cannot accept it,” said Benatia, visibly disappointed. He indirectly criticizes the management of the Marseille club, incapable, according to him, of securing local talent despite their geographical proximity.
Benatia does not hide her desire to see Ben Seghir in Olympian colors. “I don’t know what happened, I wasn’t there. But I would love to have him at OM.” For him, OM could have seduced the player by offering him a solid sporting project, especially since Eliesse Ben Seghir would have a particular affection for the club.
The decisive choice of Ben Seghir
If Mehdi Benatia regrets this missed opportunity, Eliesse Ben Seghir seems calm about his career choice. In a recent interview with Téléfootthe player confided that his arrival in Monaco was down to one detail. “Before joining AS Monaco, OM was the club where I was closest to signing. I was on the verge of signing there,” he revealed.
However, the young striker highlights the impact of his family and the difficulty of refusing a call from Monaco: “When AS Monaco calls you, it's very difficult to say no. My family also played an important role in this choice.”
A regret for OM, a springboard for Ben Seghir
For Olympique de Marseille, the success of Eliesse Ben Seghir in the Principality is a painful reminder of missed opportunities. Benatia does not just criticize this specific case, but points to a broader problem in OM's ability to attract and retain promising talent.
For his part, Ben Seghir remains focused on his rise. While his contract binds him to Monaco until 2027, his market value has already reached 30 million euros. A progression which could make him one of the key players in Ligue 1 in the years to come, to the great dismay of Marseille supporters.
Marseille may wonder what the future of Eliesse Ben Seghir could have been under his colors, but for now, it is Monaco which is savoring his brilliant success.
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