Arthur Vermeeren reflects on his turbulent loan spell at Olympique de Marseille, stating that the challenging period left him mentally tougher than his current teammates at Royal Antwerp.
The Turning Point Against Nantes
The Belgian international made 26 total appearances for OM, logging 1,211 minutes on the pitch. However, his momentum screeched to a halt on January 4, 2026, during a 2-0 defeat against FC Nantes.
“I had started well there. Until that stupid red card. It changed everything for me,” Vermeeren told Het Laatste Nieuws. Following that dismissal, the young midfielder struggled to reclaim regular minutes under De Zerbi, sliding out of the starting lineup after making six starts in his first 14 matches across all competitions.
Managing Friction With Roberto De Zerbi
Despite the lack of playing time and public criticism from the coaching staff—including a half-time substitution against Angers on October 22, 2025, where De Zerbi remarked that the youngster needed to show more aggression in duels—Vermeeren maintained a pragmatic view of his former boss.
“De Zerbi is just very imposing and direct,” Vermeeren explained. “De Zerbi gave me a lot of confidence, and when you make a mistake like that, you have to accept the consequences. In the weeks and months that followed, I barely played. It was difficult. Some teammates will say it’s unfair, but in the end, that’s football. I spoke with De Zerbi a few times since. I will keep what he told me to myself. And then he left shortly after, too.”
Clearing Up Training Ground Rumors
The turbulent 2026 campaign at Marseille also generated headlines regarding a supposed physical altercation between Vermeeren and teammate Geoffrey Kondogbia. The incident was reportedly rumored to have occurred following a 3-0 Champions League defeat against Club Bruges and a 2-2 draw with Paris FC.
Vermeeren firmly dismissed those reports, calling the media coverage exaggerated. “It’s completely false. The media made a farce out of it,” he stated. “It was a training session the day after a defeat, with all the substitutes. Those are anyway the most mentally taxing training sessions. And yes, it was hard. There were heavy tackles and frustration. But a fight? Not at all.”
Return to Royal Antwerp and Future Outlook
Having returned to Royal Antwerp, Vermeeren has quickly re-established himself, making three starts in three matches prior to the international break. Rather than viewing his time in Ligue 1 as a career detour, the young midfielder believes the adversity accelerated his professional growth.
“Because of everything that happened, I am mentally more mature than my teammates,” Vermeeren concluded. “Difficult periods have hardened me. I feel like people find me older, too. Some say: ‘he’s already back in Antwerp, so his career is finished.’ Come on, I’m 21 years old! My career is just beginning, but I want to get back to the top as quickly as possible. The right way, without rushing.”
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