Merlin Röhl
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 July 2002 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Potsdam, Germany | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team |
Everton (on loan from SC Freiburg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 34 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| –2018 | SV Babelsberg 03 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | FC Ingolstadt | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | FC Ingolstadt | 49 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | FC Ingolstadt II | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | SC Freiburg II | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022– | SC Freiburg | 48 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | → Everton (loan) | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Germany U18 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Germany U19 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Germany U20 | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2025 | Germany U21 | 13 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:48, 16 September 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Merlin Röhl (born 5 July 2002) is a German professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Premier League club Everton, on loan from SC Freiburg.
Early life
[edit]Röhl was born in Potsdam, Germany, and grew up there.[1][2]
Club career
[edit]Röhl started his youth career at SV Babelsberg 03, but moved to FC Ingolstadt in 2018 having had a trial spell at the club after sharing his performance data through the app Tonsser.[3][2] He signed a long-term contract with the club in January 2020.[4]
Röhl made his debut for FC Ingolstadt on 25 November 2020, starting in a 3–1 3. Liga win away to Bayern Munich II.[2][5] He scored his first senior goal on 16 December 2020 with a right-footed volley in the 37th minute of a 1–0 league victory over Hansa Rostock.[6][7]
On 17 August 2022, Röhl signed with SC Freiburg in Bundesliga.[8]
Röhl moved to Premier League side Everton on a season-long loan on 1 September 2025, the last day of the summer transfer window.[9] A purchase obligation will apply if Everton remains in the league, in which case the transfer fee would reportedly amount to €25 million including possible bonuses.[9]
International career
[edit]Röhl has represented Germany at both under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels as well.[1]
Style of play
[edit]A tall, versatile and technically gifted midfielder, Röhl has also played at left-back. His playing style and physical stature has earned him comparisons to Leon Goretzka.[10]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 31 August 2025
| Club | Season | League | DFB-Pokal | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Ingolstadt | 2020–21 | 3. Liga | 19 | 1 | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22 | 2. Bundesliga | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 | |||
| 2022–23 | 3. Liga | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 2 | |||
| Total | 49 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 55 | 4 | |||
| FC Ingolstadt II | 2020–21 | Bayernliga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| SC Freiburg II | 2022–23 | 3. Liga | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| SC Freiburg | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8[b] | 1 | — | 34 | 3 | ||
| 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | |||
| 2025–26 | Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 48 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 60 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 110 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 128 | 7 | ||
- ^ Appearances in promotion play-offs
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
Honours
[edit]Germany U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2025[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Merlin Röhl". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ a b c Jablonowski, Mirko (9 December 2020). "Potsdamer Merlin Röhl: Zwischen Abitur und Profifußball beim FC Ingolstadt". Sportbuzzer.de (in German). Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ Kirchmeier, Johannes (17 December 2020). "Mann aus der App". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Ex-Babelsberger Merlin Röhl verlängert Vertrag beim FC Ingolstadt". Sportbuzzer.de (in German). 17 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Flankenläufer Heinloth und Joker Eckert Ayensa ringen die Bayern nieder". kicker (in German). 25 November 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Röhls Premiere beschert Ingolstadt drei Punkte". kicker (in German). 16 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Oral hätte Vollblutfußballer Röhl "vor die Kamera gelassen"". kicker (in German). 16 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "MERLIN RÖHL SIGNS FOR SC". Freiburg. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Geldregen für Freiburg: Everton verpflichtet Röhl" [Windfall for Freiburg: Everton signs Röhl]. Kicker (in German). 1 September 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Merlin Röhl: Who is the young Freiburg midfield wizard?". Bundesliga. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "England 3-2 Germany (aet) highlights: Rowe header ensures Young Lions retain title". uefa.com. 28 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Merlin Röhl at DFB (also available in German)
- Merlin Röhl at kicker (in German)
