Everton Complete £18M Signing of Merlin Röhl on Three-Year Deal
The club activated a survival-triggered obligation to buy and must now decide whether David Moyes will use Röhl centrally or as a versatile squad option.
Overview
- Everton have triggered the automatic £18 million buy clause in Merlin Röhl’s loan from SC Freiburg and signed him to a three-year contract running to 2029.
- Röhl originally joined on loan in September 2025 but his first season was interrupted by early injuries that limited his opportunities to build a regular place.
- Manager David Moyes has praised Röhl’s tactical flexibility and has used him both centrally and out wide late in the season, creating a debate over his best position.
- Club sources and coverage note Röhl’s physical profile and ball-carrying ability as traits Everton signed him for, and his assimilation into the squad has included a bond with club icon Leighton Baines.
- The next practical test of his role will come in pre-season training, when Moyes must choose whether to develop Röhl as a natural central midfielder or continue to deploy him as a utility option and squad depth.