Arthur Vermeeren reflects on difficult Atletico Madrid stint | OneFootball

Arthur Vermeeren has reflected on a difficult spell at Atletico Madrid. He arrived in 2024 with a big reputation but struggled for minutes.

In the second half of 2023-24 he made five appearances and 159 Liga minutes, then moved to RB Leipzig and France before returning to Antwerp.

"I don't think I necessarily made bad decisions," Arthur Vermeeren said. "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." He told Het Nieuwsblad.

Atletico paid €22m (£18.5m) to sign him from Royal Antwerp, a fee shaped by Antwerp’s financial difficulties. They later recouped €25m (£21m) from Leipzig through a €9m loan fee and €16m obligation to buy.

"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."

Leipzig have loaned him to Antwerp this season and he has two league appearances. His focus is on helping them secure the Belgian title for the first time since 2023.

Source: Goal.com

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