-
News
- 35 minutes ago
Man Utd rue €26m transfer mistake after midfield 'masterclass'
Tom Weber
- Updated: 27 Nov 2025 09:25 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Manchester United have been left to regret their decision not to reignite their interest in Arthur Vermeeren after his midfield 'masterclass' for Olympique Marseille against Newcastle.
The Belgium international appears to have finally found a home in the South of France after disappointing stints in Spain and Germany. Vermeeren joined Atletico Madrid in January 2024 after a breakout year at Royal Antwerp, but his spell in the capital ended after just six months.
Diego Simeone did not afford the 20-year-old many opportunities, which prompted him to pursue a loan move to RB Leipzig in the summer of 2024. His stint was made permanent for €20 million this summer, but new head coach Ole Werner did not fancy the youngster.
Current ETV
Arthur Vermeeren
DM, M (C)
Marseille
Arthur Vermeeren
DM, M (C)
Marseille
ETV Range
€23.8M - €29.1M
This allowed Marseille to swoop in late in the window, agreeing a €3m loan deal with a €23m purchase option. Given his current form for the Ligue 1 outfit after a slow start, it seems quite likely that Marseille will exercise their option.
On Tuesday, Vermeeren produced a stellar performance as Marseille came back from 1-0 down to beat Newcastle 2-1. Foot Mercato described his outing against the Magpies as a 'masterclass' and praised his 'impressive maturity' despite being just 20.
Man Utd could have signed Vermeeren
Vermeeren's performances under Roberto de Zerbi are surely piquing the interest of Premier League suitors again, given that he is a long-standing target for England's elite.
Before he left Antwerp for Atleti, Vermeeren was heavily associated with the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd, and it is fair to say that the latter could use a player like him right now.
In fact, before the Belgian left Leipzig for Marseille, FootballTransfers suggested that the Red Devils would be well advised to reignite their interest in the youngster, given that he would have been a cheaper alternative to Carlos Baleba.
Ultimately, Man Utd ended up signing no midfielders, and the engine room has continued to give Ruben Amorim headaches, despite Casemiro's surprising redemption this term.
If Vermeeren keeps performing at his current level, he is sure to attract interest from England again in 2026.
Football transfer news headlines today
Fabrizio Romano transfer news: SECRET Chelsea signing, Neymar adventure OVER, Xabi Alonso SHOCK
Celtic ‘optimistic’ of beating Man Utd to striker signing
Chelsea go ALL-OUT for Arsenal wonderkid
Xabi Alonso sack date announced: Real Madrid’s decision is already made
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
