The biggest takeaway from Nantes left-sided player Quentin Merlin’s 2023 performances is that 2024 could become a make-or-break year for the young Frenchman’s career.
Now 21, Merlin has been a mainstay of Les Canaris’ first team since the start of the 2021/22 campaign when he was swiftly promoted from the youth system to a starting berth by coach Antoine Kombouaré. A clear confidence in Merlin, who’d just turned 19, underlined how highly he was regarded. Previously more of an attacking option, Merlin has been used primarily as a wing-back and, eventually, at left-back. His quietly assured displays despite increased defensive responsibility in a team that often does a lot of defending, have impressed.
Merlin is nearing 80 senior appearances, accruing well over 5,500 minutes – useful experience for a player of his age. This calendar year has seen him, when fit, solidify both his place in the Nantes side and his reputation as a reliable Ligue 1 performer. Merlin is at his best when asked to advance the play. His energy running from deeper areas either with the ball or to offer a crossing option is more than useful, becoming an underrated creative outlet on the left flank. According to FBRef, only winger Moses Simon has more progressive carries than Merlin for FCN this season while just midfielder Pedro Chirivella boasts progressive passes.
Merlin treading water?
Underlining Merlin’s quiet creativity, only Simon and attacking midfielder Florent Mollet have produced more crosses and more shot-creating actions than the young full-back – he comfortably made the club’s top three for both metrics last season too – while only Simon has been involved in creating more goals for Nantes this season. For one so young and unschooled going the other way, Merlin’s defensive work is developing too. Rarely is his positioning exposed while his more combative contributions are solid, again his assuredness stands out.
Although age is a caveat, Merlin’s 2023, however, asks what might his true ceiling be. Although his standards were already promising, this year has seen the Nantes man effectively tread water in terms of his output and form. That should be seen as a positive. Young Ligue 1 players are too often pushed too soon to do too much, derailing development, and a meaningful assessment of Merlin’s quality might be at least a season or two away.
However, the harshest critics, not least scouts from further up the division or overseas, might demand more impact and obvious progress than has been achieved in 2023. 2024 will provide a clearer idea as to where this low-key prospect is heading.
