Olympique de Marseille’s coach, Eli Baup, has expressed high praise for Saber Khalifa, the Tunisian striker, citing him as a quality offensive player with the ability to exploit depth and move dynamically on the field. Baup emphasized Khalifa’s style of play, noting that he is not someone who plays with his back to goal.
Despite these commendations, Khalifa has found limited playing time on the field. The regional daily La Provence suggests that this situation is a consequence of OM’s unsuccessful transfer window, where the club sought to recruit Khalifa, expecting the departure of André Ayew. However, Ayew did not leave, and the arrival of Florian Thauvin, along with the return of André-Pierre Gignac from injury, has added further competition for playing time.
As a result, Khalifa has only played 63 minutes in Ligue 1 since the beginning of the season, leading to doubts about his future role. Eli Baup, however, reassures that Khalifa remains motivated, stating, “No, he’s not unmotivated. I see him every day in training. He does a good job, with pleasure, with the idea of progressing. The more things go, the more physically ready he will be.” Despite the current challenges, Baup seems optimistic about Khalifa’s potential contribution to the team as the season progresses.
