| Quentin Merlin | |
| Birth Date: | 16 May 2002 |
| Birth Place: | Nantes, France |
| Height: | 1.73 m[1] |
| Position: | Left-back, left wing-back |
| Currentclub: | Marseille |
| Clubnumber: | 3 |
| Youthyears1: | 2008–2012 |
| Youthclubs1: | FC Goélands Samaritains |
| Youthyears2: | 2012–2013 |
| Youthclubs2: | Nantes |
| Youthyears3: | 2013–2015 |
| Youthclubs3: | Pornic Foot |
| Youthyears4: | 2015–2021 |
| Youthclubs4: | Nantes |
| Years1: | 2020–2023 |
| Clubs1: | Nantes B |
| Caps1: | 10 |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Years2: | 2021–2024 |
| Clubs2: | Nantes |
| Caps2: | 68 |
| Goals2: | 3 |
| Years3: | 2024– |
| Clubs3: | Marseille |
| Caps3: | 11 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2017–2018 |
| Nationalteam1: | France U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2018–2019 |
| Nationalteam2: | France U17 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 1 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2019–2020 |
| Nationalteam3: | France U18 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2021 |
| Nationalteam4: | France U20 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Nationalyears5: | 2022– |
| Nationalteam5: | France U21 |
| Nationalcaps5: | 9 |
| Nationalgoals5: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 17 August 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 17 October 2023 |
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.
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.[2] [3] [4]
In January 2021, Merlin was selected by Nantes manager Raymond Domenech several times in the professional squad.[5] [6] 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.[7]
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.[8] Antoine Kombouaré succeeded him in the manager position.[9]
On 19 March 2021, Merlin signed his first professional contract with Nantes.[10] On 19 February 2022, he scored his first goal in a 3–1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.[11] He achieved his first title with the club by winning the Coupe de France.
On 26 January 2024, Merlin moved to fellow Ligue 1 side Marseille, having agreed a contract until 2028.[12] The transfer fee paid to Nantes was reported as €12 million.[12] In the latter stages of the 2023–24 season, he became part of the team which reached the Europa League semi-finals.[13]
Merlin is a youth international for France.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Nantes B | 2020–21 | National 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22 | National 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2022–23 | National 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||||||
| Nantes | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 2 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 68 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 0 | |||
| Marseille | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 10 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 89 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 4 | |||
Nantes