Arsenal have confirmed 18 year old Spanish play-maker Fran Merida Perez, has signed a new long term contract with the club, thought to be around four years in lengh, slamming reports he is set to leave the club, and meaning he will fight for a first team place next season.
Wenger has been a huge fan of Fran who is currently on loan with Spanish Segunda outfit Real Sociedad, and has used him in the earlier parts of the season in the Carling Cup giving him intially a debut against Newcastle before further experience in the latter rounds at Sheffield United and then Blackburn Rovers, and has heaped praise on the former Barcelona trainee.
“Yes we have extended his contract, That was planned and it is good news because he is a very fine player. He is one for the future.”
“The reports I have from [his loan spell in] Spain are that he does well everytime he plays. Fran is very technical. He still needs to grow physically but football-wise there is no problem. He is an absolutely amazing player.”
The praise from the boss will no doubt help Merida, who is currently having to make do with little playing time with the Basque outfit, which has put already under fire coach Jose Ramon Eizmendi in the spotlight, but fans favourite Fran has said he is happy with his playing time, and has no regrets.
So a new squad number, and more match action next season for Merida shows another excellent piece of business done by the Gunners who plucked the starlet from Barcelona, however he is in a different mould to fellow Spaniard Cesc Fabregas, the future looks very bright for Franny.
Young Guns has followed Fran’s progress during his loan spell with in depth reports on his fixtures with Real Sociedad, as they look to gain promotion to La Liga, as well as all the other loanees, keep up to date with their performances in our Loanees Section.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Good to see hes signed a new contract as i was looking forward to seeing him play. Do you think he will make it? and do you think he is likely to start in the carling cup next year?
Great player, seen him training in Spain and he is fantastic, one of the best in Segunda i think, even if he doesn’t play.
He will not make the grade here at Arsenal because with the likes of Carlos Vela and Theo Walcott are bothh better than him IMO
Walcott is striker, Vela is winger/striker, Merida central midfielder/winger lol.
Different players, and you dont know Carlos will make it yet
I know that Fran Merida will not because he is not good enough after all who’s place is he going to take in the central midfield then? the only logical reason i can see to giving him a contract extension is to sell him in two years time IMO
U dont kno wether Fran Merida will make it or not. In my opinion he will, he was captain of Barcelona youth before he came to Arsenal and that tells you something, not even Fabregas was captain. I can see him taking Flamini’s place. He’s got more talent than Flamini, he can have an impact on the premiership like Fabregas has.
lol we don’t have place in the center.. will he feature in the carling cup?
he’s similar to cesc isn’t he?
He is a better passer than Denilson, and Denny is always injured so he will get his chance like Cesc did,
its then up to him to take it
you guys dont seem to realise that he will give us another option apart from Cesc as an attacking centre mid. To begin with i assume he will be used in Carling cup but once hes started to get used to English football i can see him starting games to rest Fab.
What’s up with Denilson anyway? Where is he??
He is more like Xavi that Cesc. he is not very big, and like Wenger said he need to develop abit Physically, but he can hit 60 yard passes with no problem, his range is amazing for such a young player.
fans always have doubts over young talents
Injured again Farrukh.
he started Colorado Rapids but got an ankle problem is that game.
Denilson has stood still as a football player in the last year, as for Merida he is a good football player but not a world beater
Everyone is comparing him to cesc but cesc was an exception… we cant expect everyone to be playing regularly at such a young age.
Merida’s still 18, we cant realisticly expect him to be challenging for a regular place yet.
He can certainly overtake Denilson… If one of them were to make it, i think it would Merida.
And Wenger seems to think extremly highly of merida, im sure he will give him an opportunity next season in the League Cup.
Next season 7 subs can be named… it wouldnt surprise me if he was on the bench a few times next season.
for real? are they gonna change to 7 subs in all competitions?
Good to hear that he’s signed a contract extension. :) With Wenger’s guidence he could become a really good player for us in the future. Just needs to build a bit more muscle and get some more experience, but he’ll get there eventually.
matt – Really? The EPL will allow 7 subs starting next season? I haven’t seen that bit of news anywhere, but I suppose I might have just missed it. Would be great if it happens though! :) If you, or anyone, know where I can read about it, let me know! :)
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandsubstitutes&prov=reuters&type=lgns
bloody briliant news!
HOOOOOOOOORAAAAAAAY!!! :D lol
I don’t think it’s fair to say he is a better passer than Denilson. IMO, Denilson is one of the best passers of a ball in England; however, he rarely seems to have the confidence to play long range passes or ‘The Killer Ball’, which doesn’t always allow him to dictate the game in the way he can. I think this was exemplified in the Cup game against Burnley; for the first 45 minutes, he looked unsure of himself, and seemed to play very short, safe passes. However, in the second half, where we took control of the game, he began to dictate the play of the game with superb long range balls across the field.
As I recall, you previously questioned whether he would make it at the club – sorry if that was not you. Where do you stand now? Do you think he has the potential to make it at the club despite stiff competition?
Thanks for the update.
well time will tell if will make it next season can be the make or break for him.
so i take it that this means were not even going to bother get
diego because he is a massive talent
I did question he would make it yes, and just because he has signed the contract does not mean he will make it.
But he will get his chance and if he can take it then he will go far.
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=news&article=489735&cpid=703&title=Arsenal+and+Liverpool+training+-+picture+special
Is that James Dunne in the background behind RVP and Gilberto?
Do you think he’ll make it? lol ;)
yep it is James.
and no i do not think he will make it, i think everybody knows my views on Dunne, i would be very suprised if he is here next season, but he is an important part in our plans for the rest of the term.
he has good technique and vision to pass the ball as same as our fabulous fabregas.
Merida for me is not the successor of fab4. He’s a good passer, good dribbler, good dead ball specialist(yeah he has that thunderous freekick like rvp) n he’s got good speed. He’s a better attacker than fab4. But defensively, he’s not upto the mark. So he might play in the left wing as replacement for tom7.. He’s naturally left footed, but he’s also able to play at the right midfield. I see him regularly startin for us in the carlin cup next season.. As for denilson, he’s got the vision, the skills n the long balls of fab4, but he’s never a replacement for fab.. Naturally he’s a defensive mid.. Sounds really strange, but its true.. He n song(next essien, i’m damn sure i’ll be right) r the reason y we sold diarra.. He was even called up for the brazilian squad as replacement for silva.. Believe it or not.. To know details bout this, just look in wiki or sambafoot..
he can play cm but i see him playing lm for us with our problems on the flanks. he is really tiny though how tall is he? because when i saw him he looked no more than 5’5. hopefully he gets his chance i rate him higher than crappy Diaby anyway who will never be a good wide player and will never play in his natural cm role cos he lacks vision passing and tactical nouse.
If Merida can push himself into the side next season, we may see Fabregas playing the defensive midfield role. It will be interesting to see if both Merida and Lansbury can come through to the first team at the same time, or if one of these special talents will have to be sacrificed.
Then onto the 09/10 season, we’ll here more noise from Thomas and Wilshere.
I have seen the lad play a few times as a with drawn striker (just behind the main one) and he looked very good. His passing and long range shooting causes deffenders all sorts of problems.
Anyone saying he will not make the grade is not watching the same player that wenger is and he most likely knows more than we do.
Merida’s class. Can’t wait to see him break into the starting line up in a few seasons!
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