Olympique de Marseille sporting director Medhi Benatia has spoken candidly about the difficulties he has faced with some of the club’s recent signings, pointing to concerns over their mentality and professionalism.
In an interview with L’Équipe, the Moroccan discussed the mid-season departures of Lilian Brassier, Elye Wahi, and Ismaël Koné—three players who arrived last summer but exited the club in January.
Benatia stressed that while scouting provides insight into a player’s ability, their true character only emerges after signing.
“You recruit a player through scouting, watching videos, attending matches, speaking on the phone, even briefly meeting them in a restaurant. But their real personality? You only discover that later.
At first, everything looks perfect. But when a player finds himself on the bench for a few games, and instead of pushing harder, he complains or blames others—the coach, teammates—you realize it’s going to be tougher than expected to get the best out of him.”
Wahi’s Attitude Issues Were No Surprise
Benatia acknowledged that concerns had already been raised about Elye Wahi’s discipline before his move to Marseille, with similar issues noted during his time at Montpellier and Lens. However, the club still chose to take the risk.
“We were always clear with him: ‘This is what we expect from you.’ And he always responded, ‘Ok, ok, ok.’ I’m not here to police the players, I support them at any time of day. But there has to be structure, discipline, and a strong work ethic.
If someone cannot meet those standards, I have no problem sitting down and finding solutions,” he explained.
Benatia’s remarks suggest that Marseille is unwilling to compromise on professionalism, even when it comes to talented players.
