Arthur Vermeeren Admits Atlético Madrid Move May Have Been a Mistake

Arthur Vermeeren has reflected on his difficult Atlético Madrid spell, accepting that the move from Antwerp may not have been the right sporting choice despite believing it made sense at the time. The 21-year-old midfielder is now back at his boyhood club on loan from RB Leipzig and has targeted a Belgian title challenge.

Key takeaways

• Atlético paid Antwerp €22 million (£18.5m) for Vermeeren in 2024.
• The Belgian made five official appearances in the second half of the 2023-24 season, playing 159 La Liga minutes.
• RB Leipzig’s deal brought Atlético €25m (£21m) through a €9m loan payment and a €16m purchase obligation.
• Vermeeren has featured twice in the Belgian league since returning to Antwerp on loan this season.
• He says the Madrid experience taught him important lessons despite the isolation and lack of minutes.

A move that did not develop in Madrid

Vermeeren arrived in Spain with considerable expectations, having been viewed in Belgium as a possible successor to compatriot Axel Witsel in Atlético’s midfield. Diego Simeone’s side had signed one of Antwerp’s leading young players, but the midfielder was unable to force his way into the regular starting side.

His opportunities were limited during the closing months of the 2023-24 campaign. Vermeeren accumulated only 159 minutes in La Liga and played five competitive matches overall before leaving the Spanish capital.

The transfer had also come at a time when Antwerp needed to address financial pressures, with Atlético’s €22m fee helping to facilitate the sale. Looking back, Vermeeren believes the circumstances behind the decision are often overlooked.

“I do not think every decision I made was wrong,” Vermeeren said. “There may have been mistakes, but there were circumstances that not many people know about. Atlético might not have been the right club, although it looked like the best option then and I was completely behind it.”

Leipzig route and Antwerp return

Atlético were able to protect their investment when Vermeeren moved to RB Leipzig. Leipzig first paid €9m (£7.5m) to take him on loan, with a further €16m (£13.5m) mandatory purchase payment taking the overall return to €25m (£21m).

He subsequently returned to Antwerp on loan from the German club. The midfielder has made two league appearances this season as Antwerp seek to win the Belgian championship for the first time since their 2023 triumph.

Vermeeren said his time in Madrid had been particularly demanding away from the pitch. Moving to a new country without a support network, while struggling to communicate and being left out of the team, affected him mentally.

“That was the period when I learned the most,” he said. “I knew almost nobody, could not speak the language and was not playing. It became frustration and anger, and I complained about everything as though everybody else was responsible.”