Arthur Vermeeren, the Smart Gamble That Could Change Everything at OM

A surprise arrival that looks like a shrewd pickup

As the transfer window was closing, OM surprised everyone by announcing the arrival of Arthur Vermeeren. A paid loan (€1.5m, with bonuses up to €3.75m) with a €20m purchase option. No financial madness, but a real sporting opportunity.

Because behind the “gamble” tag lies a simple fact: few 20-year-olds can already boast such experience — a double with Antwerp, the Champions League, stints at Atlético and Leipzig, caps with Belgium.

A battered diamond seeking a revival

Everything moved very fast for Vermeeren. A starter at 17 with Antwerp, a hero of a European campaign, scorer against Barça and captain versus Porto… In Belgium, he was seen as a future mainstay of the Red Devils.

Then came the turbulence. At Atlético, Simeone didn’t give him a chance. At Leipzig, he played but wasn’t undroppable, before being sidelined by the new coach. Naturally, his confidence and rhythm took a hit.

But that’s exactly where Marseille can be the right choice. The Vélodrome is a volcano that sometimes burns… but can also warm and reignite talent. Vermeeren isn’t arriving as an established star, but as a young player with everything to prove. And it’s often in that role that the Olympiens write their finest stories.

The profile: a football brain serving the collective

Vermeeren isn’t a bulldozer, nor a spectacular box-to-box. He’s an organizer. A player who thinks before the others.

• Anticipation: he cuts passing lanes, reads the game like an open book.
• Build-up: clean, quick, often vertical when the opening is there.
• Opposition press: he keeps his cool, gets out with intelligence and simplicity.
• Vision: he makes play flow, speeds things up, sets the tempo.

Sure, he still lacks some muscle and presence in duels. But his tactical intelligence and technical precision can do OM a lot of good. And at 20, he has plenty of time to round out his game.

Why it can work in Marseille

With Roberto De Zerbi, the framework is ideal. The Italian coach loves cerebral midfielders, capable of organizing and launching play. Vermeeren fits that profile exactly. Placed in a double pivot with a more physical player, he can regulate and accelerate without being exposed.

Financially, OM aren’t taking a risk. Sportingly, they’re getting a Belgian international who has already played in the Champions League. And in a Vélodrome that adores wholehearted, intelligent players, he has everything to win over the crowd.

The challenge: dare to make your mark

Of course, he’ll have to handle the pressure. Marseille isn’t Leipzig or Madrid: here, everything happens faster, harder, higher. The fans don’t forgive timid starts, but they know how to recognize desire and boldness.

Vermeeren will therefore need to play with confidence, not hide, and show his game intelligence without fear. With his background and maturity, he has everything he needs to turn this loan into a truly great story.

A bet on a future maestro?

Arthur Vermeeren arrives bruised by two difficult seasons, but with his potential intact. At 20, he hasn’t lost his talent or his vision of the game. At OM, he finds an environment where everything is more intense, but also more vibrant.

And maybe that’s the real good news: seeing a young Belgian football brain reborn in an Olympien shirt, to orchestrate the midfield and light the Vélodrome back up.

Fans, over to you: wild gamble or future maestro? We’re backing the latter.