Merlin Röhl is close to staying on a permanent deal with Everton after signing from SC Freiburg on loan last summer.
The German midfielder was signed on Deadline Day on an initial loan deal. The stipulation of the loan deal includes an obligation to buy the player once the Toffees’ Premier League survival is mathematically guaranteed this season.
Röhl has made 12 appearances for the Blues so far, making only two starts. Although minutes have been hard to come by in recent months, with David Moyes having a fully fit squad at his disposal, the German has shown glimpses of quality.
"I am so grateful for the coincidences and the luck that have allowed me to play in this beautiful stadium. For this great club. In front of the eyes of our passionate fans. In the best league in the world,” Röhl posted an emotional message on social media on Sunday, seemingly confirming his commitment to Everton.
At the same time, Röhl's post was also philosophical in nature and dealt with the struggle that ordinary people often go through and talked about bridging the growing divide with love and respect. He added pictures of Everton fans and stewards along with his and the players' in the same post.
“So many things that I could not control, and yet here I stand, living my dream of playing in the Premier League. I know what a privilege that is and how many people never had or still don’t have the opportunities, due to physical circumstances, difficult family situations or bad luck at the wrong moment. Coincidence can also take a great deal away from you.
“I cherish this opportunity and have so much respect for everyone who has had to overcome truly difficult obstacles and has experienced strokes of fate. The different starting points in life that people have make me incredibly thoughtful.
“I hope that in an age full of greed and envy, shaped by wars and a growing gap between rich and poor, we can once again focus more on community. And together find solutions for how we can give as many people as possible the chance to live a fulfilling life and to pursue their dreams.”
Reader Comments (23)
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2 Posted 06/04/2026 at 17:53:29
Good luck to him.
3 Posted 06/04/2026 at 18:26:24
Brilliant article from the kid.
4 Posted 06/04/2026 at 19:21:52
Always good to see.
5 Posted 06/04/2026 at 19:49:44
Next season should be a big one for players like Rohl, Dibling, Alcaraz and Iroegbunam. TIme to step up!
6 Posted 06/04/2026 at 20:41:04
7 Posted 06/04/2026 at 20:46:21
8 Posted 06/04/2026 at 20:48:10
Seems reasonable for a young player with potential.
9 Posted 06/04/2026 at 21:01:32
As soon as he gets used to the pace of the Premier League, we will climb the table. Very good to see this.
10 Posted 06/04/2026 at 22:40:21
I like the look of this lad, he could prove to be a huge signing.
11 Posted 06/04/2026 at 23:04:25
12 Posted 06/04/2026 at 00:26:22
13 Posted 06/04/2026 at 00:33:46
ing by default a lucrative contract to play football. Hopefully he improves on the field.
14 Posted 07/04/2026 at 06:40:21
I have great expectations from him but, given Moyes's cautious approach and the huge competition for those 2 midfield slots between Ga
er, Gueye, Armstrong, Iroegbunam, and himself, it may be a while before we see him playing regular football.
15 Posted 07/04/2026 at 07:56:02
Moyes prefers his defenders to be able to defend whereas most on here only focus on their attacking abilities. As with Patterson, if we had them as a pair of fullbacks the question to be asked is how many goals per match will we need to score to win the game.
At least for now. They may improve and be more aware of their defensive responsibilities.
16 Posted 07/04/2026 at 09:49:10
I think he is built for the Premier League and, as I have said before, there's a bit of Michael Ballack about him. The Manager has already seen glimpses of his potential against Villa, and will bring him along carefully; accordingly, I see this player being an absolute bargain and a driving force in our midfield in time. I think he will be given a lot more minutes next season for sure.
I really think we have some exciting young recruits in Merlin, Tim, and Tyler, they all have physical attributes, they just need to be nurtured over time. Moyes wont rush them but we will see the benefits.
Really exciting times and future at Everton, when were we last in a situation where we could qualify for Europe and actually have decent money to spend in the summer?
I haven't even mentioned the purchase of Nelson Dock either, that's another exciting aspect.
Onwards and upwards!
17 Posted 07/04/2026 at 10:06:51
er and Dewsbury-Hall.
I am sure next season they will all play a bigger part than they have this season, and will have lea
ed a lot from training with the first team.
Great sporting week ahead: The National meeting and The Masters starting Thursday, and Everton back playing this weekend.
18 Posted 07/04/2026 at 10:40:46
I hope you pick the winner in The National, the winner in The Masters, and I obviously hope Everton win on Saturday, to set us up for another really positive week, before the derby.
20 Posted 07/04/2026 at 11:08:20
Talking about the Grand National- - where is Paul Tran when you need him, he was always worth listening to about Everton and also the National and other horse racing tips.
I hope you are okay, Paul, and doing well, be nice if you could drop in here and throw a few tips our way, or mine and I won't tell anyone else!
22 Posted 07/04/2026 at 12:30:43
We seem to have lost a few of the regular posters like Paul Tran, Rob Halligan and Danny O'Neill. I used to like listening to Danny mixing with the away team's fans, especially when we played London clubs.
It would be nice to hear from these boys again. Anybody know why these regular posters left.
23 Posted 07/04/2026 at 12:36:12
The offence taken by some posters in reply to honest posts has probably put them off.
24 Posted 07/04/2026 at 19:19:13
How can something that is accurate be termed over the top?
26 Posted 07/04/2026 at 21:01:40
And he's 24 in a couple of months. His "prospect" phase was at Freiberg. He's aged into the "put up or shut up" phase of his career; with a big question mark over if he can even stay fit.
It was just a loan. Send him back.
And get rid of Alcaraz. He's not any good.
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1 Posted 06/04/2026 at 16:51:27
I would love to see him here on a permanent deal to add to our depth.