Arthur Vermeeren: Marseille's midfielder is finding a home
Ahead of Olympique de Marseille's big clash with OGC Nice as Ligue 1 McDonald's returns, we take a closer look at OM's Belgian midfielder Arthur Vermeeren in our latest "One To Watch"
A regular from the age of 17
There's long been a strong connection between Belgian players and Olympique de Marseille. From Michy Batshuayi coming through at the Vélodrôme to Daniel Van Buyten emerging at the turn of the century as one of Europe's best defenders, the links between the southern club and France's northern neighbor have been strong. Now that link looks to be strengthened with the latest addition to Roberto de Zerbi's squad, Arthur Vermeeren.
Already a player with vast experience, despite being just twenty years old, his arrival this summer from RB Leipzig has immediately added depth and culture to the club's midfield, belying the technical excellence for which he has already become well-known. A prodigious talent from a young age, Vermeeren was a regular with his first club Royal Antwerp by the age of 17. In the following season, he continued to impress, and even scored in a famous win over Barcelona in the Champions League, attracting the attention of bigger clubs.
He would eventually join one of said clubs, decamping for Atlético Madrid in January 2024, having made a remarkable 64 consecutive starts before leaving. However, his time there saw him play little, and in the following summer, he joined RB Leipzig, with the Germans eventually exercising a purchase option. After playing just over a dozen Bundesliga matches, he was on the move again in August.
𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻 running the show 💫🇧🇪pic.twitter.com/1EZ0rUn4NE
— Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) November 13, 2025
Ready to build on IMPROVED FORM
An eleventh-hour arrival in Marseille, having only joined the club on the final day of the transfer window, it took Vermeeren a fair amount of time to break into the team, with the strong play of Pierre-Emile Højberg, Matt O'Riley and more recently Angel Gomes limiting his opportunities, especially with de Zerbi preferring to use only two central midfielders, even as he toggled between playing with three and four at the back.
Then, when he was given a first start -- against Ajax in the Champions League, he performed with plenty of brio, recording an assist as he comfortably knit play together in a 4-0 win. In his next European match, against Sporting, he was taken off at the break, the victim of Emerson's red card. He was back in the eleven in a frustrating loss to Lens, and then dropped again, but lately things seem to be looking up again for the young Belgian, as he turned in a man of the match display in OM's most recent match, a 3-0 win over Brest.
