Quentin Merlin

Quentin Merlin (born 16 May 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a left-back or left wing-back for Ligue 1 club Marseille.

Early life

Born in Nantes, Merlin grew up in Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer, in a family with Méricourtois origins. Football-wise, he was formed in Brittany, between the towns of Nantes and Pornic.

Club career

Nantes

In January 2021, Merlin was selected by Nantes manager Raymond Domenech several times in the professional squad. He eventually made his professional debut for Nantes on 10 February 2021, coming on as a half-time substitute for Ludovic Blas in a 4–2 Coupe de France loss to Lens.

The manager who selected Merlin for the game was not on the bench as the young player entered the field, Domenech having been tested positive for COVID-19, and eventually learning he had been fired right after the Lens game. Antoine Kombouaré succeeded him in the manager position.

On 19 March 2021, Merlin signed his first professional contract with Nantes. On 19 February 2022, he scored his first goal in a 3–1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain. He achieved his first title with the club by winning the Coupe de France.

Marseille

On 26 January 2024, Merlin moved to fellow Ligue 1 side Marseille, having agreed a contract until 2028. The transfer fee paid to Nantes was reported as €12 million. In the latter stages of the 2023–24 season, he became part of the team which reached the Europa League semi-finals.