Are you 24 or older?

Help us verify your age by providing an honest response. This site contains gambling advertising for 24+.

Age-restricted content

You’re not old enough to view betting content. You’ll be redirected to the homepage.

alt
LiveTickets
+18 | Play Responsibly | T&C's Apply | Commercial Content | Publishing Principles
Explore Betting on GOAL
SOCCER U21 EURO 2027 QUALIF RED DEVILS VS AUSTRIAAFP
Yosua Arya

'Perhaps it wasn't the right club' - Ex-Atletico Madrid wonderkid breaks silence on nightmare transfer

Atletico Madrid
A. Vermeeren
LaLiga
RB Leipzig
Bundesliga
Royal Antwerp
First Division A

Arthur Vermeeren has opened up about his difficult spell at Atletico Madrid, admitting that the Spanish giants might not have been the right club for his development. The Belgian midfielder revealed that financial circumstances played a hidden role in his initial blockbuster transfer from Royal Antwerp.

  • A difficult spell in Spain

    Vermeeren arrived at Atletico in 2024 with a towering reputation. Dubbed the heir to Axel Witsel, the Belgian wonderkid was expected to be the next big midfield star for Diego Simeone's side. However, the 21-year-old failed to establish himself in the Spanish capital.

    During the second half of the 2023-24 campaign, Vermeeren managed just five official appearances and a mere 159 minutes of Liga action. Unable to break into the starting XI, he eventually moved on to RB Leipzig and France before ultimately returning to his boyhood club, Antwerp.

    • Advertisement
  • SOCCER JPL D6 CLUB BRUGGE VS ANTWERPAFP

    Hidden transfer circumstances

    Looking back at his sudden departure from Antwerp, Vermeeren acknowledges that things did not go to plan. Atletico paid €22 million (£18.5m) for his services, a fee largely driven by the Belgian club's financial difficulties at the time. The midfielder admits that the move to Spain was flawed from a sporting perspective.

    "I don't think I necessarily made bad decisions," Vermeeren told Het Nieuwsblad. "Probably there were wrong decisions among them, but the circumstances, which few people are aware of, also played a part. Perhaps Atletico wasn't the right club, but at the time it seemed the best option, and I fully supported it."

  • Dealing with disappointment

    Despite his lack of playing time, Vermeeren views his stint in Madrid as a crucial period of personal growth. He struggled to adapt to a new country and a new language, which took a significant mental toll.

    "People don't see it that way, but my time at Atletico is when I learnt the most," he explained. "I barely knew anyone, I didn't speak the language and, on top of that, I wasn't playing. That turned into disappointment and anger, complaining about everything. As if it were everyone else's fault."

    • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

    Add as preferred source on Google
  • SOCCER JPL D5 STANDARD DE LIEGE VS ROYAL ANTWERP FCAFP

    Moving forward from the experience

    While Vermeeren's time on the pitch was forgettable, Atletico managed to minimise their financial losses. The Spanish club orchestrated a profitable exit strategy by sending him to Leipzig. The German side initially paid a €9m (£7.5m) loan fee, followed by a €16m (£13.5m) obligation to buy, allowing Atletico to recoup €25m (£21m) in total.

    This season, Leipzig decided to loan him to Antwerp, where he has made two league appearances. His focus is now on helping his team secure the Belgian title for the first time since 2023.