Everton have backed themselves into a corner with Merlin Rohl after latest David Moyes admission
Merlin Rohl has endured a difficult time of things in the early days of his Everton career.
The German midfielder joined the club from SC Freiburg on deadline day and has made just 10 Premier League appearances under David Moyes thus far, with fitness issues and on-pitch struggles seeing the 23-year-old face reduced minutes at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Speaking at his press conference on Friday ahead of Everton’s clash with Newcastle, Moyes was questioned on the lack of game time for multiple players, including Rohl, to which he responded by saying that they have to “improve” if they want chances.
The alarming factor of Rohl’s situation, though, is that the Toffees’ flexibility is limited, with a £17.3million purchase obligation set to be activated over the summer after an initial season-long loan.
With this commitment in mind, Everton have left themselves in an awkward spot.
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Everton’s Merlin Rohl gamble has created an awkward situation
After an injury-disrupted 2024-25 campaign that restricted Rohl to 19 Bundesliga outings, the current term looked to be his breakout year at the Black Forest club.
Instead, the midfielder joined an Everton side where minutes were never guaranteed. As quoted by Kicker, Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster outlined that the club “naturally would have liked to keep Merlin, but it’s been made clear that an offer of a certain amount can constitute an argument for letting certain lads go.”
Since making the move to Merseyside, familiar issues have seen him miss eight matchday squads in the Premier League, while he has racked up just 353 minutes in the competition.
What remains baffling for Everton supporters, though, is that Rohl has not played a single minute since racking up a full 90 against Aston Villa in January – a match in which he shone at Villa Park.
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Everton must now commit – the talent is there
Patience will be essential for the Toffees if they are to justify the upcoming outlay, with it being far from a lost cause when it comes to Rohl’s potential.
At Freiburg, he worked his way into the first team under the iconic Christian Streich, who left the club in 2024 after 12 years as head coach.
Streich himself has previously spoken glowingly of Rohl’s progression, telling Bundesliga.com: “Merlin’s taking big strides after his injury troubles. He’s got pace, great movement. He can be a real difference-maker.”
While former Ingolstadt head coach Tomas Oral described Rohl as the “complete midfielder – defensively and offensively.”
The 23-year-old’s Everton move is set to become permanent over the summer, and with the sizeable fee in mind, the Toffees simply have to place their trust in Rohl, as they look to avoid a situation where the midfielder’s value continues to decrease.
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