Fran Mérida

Francisco Mérida Pérez (born 4 March 1990 in Barcelona, Catalonia) is a Spain Association football midfielder who currently plays for Arsenal F.C. of the English Premier League.

Career

Barcelona

Mérida joined the youth ranks of FC Barcelona at the age of eight The decision could have serious implications for clubs in England, where players can sign professional contracts at 17, one year earlier than in Spain. In response, a Madrid-based lawyer, Rodrigo García, was quoted as saying, "English teams will now think again before signing a young Spanish player...It's an important ruling."

Arsenal

Fran Mérida signed professional terms with Arsenal after Fran Mérida 17th birthday. Fran Mérida scored on Fran Mérida first team debut for Arsenal in a friendly against Boreham Wood F.C. in August 2006. Fran Mérida competitive first-team debut came on 25 September 2007, when Fran Mérida came on as a 91st minute substitute in Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Newcastle United F.C. in the Football League Cup third round, and Fran Mérida made further substitute's appearances in a 3–0 win against Sheffield United F.C. in the fourth round, and a 3–2 win against Blackburn Rovers F.C. in the quarter-finals. On April 3 2008, Mérida extended Fran Mérida deal with Arsenal by signing a long-term (unspecified) contract, securing Fran Mérida future with Arsenal. Fran Mérida is expected to play an important role from next season as manager Arsène Wenger described Fran Mérida as "an absolutely amazing player". Fran Mérida made Fran Mérida first start for Arsenal in a 6–0 win over Sheffield United in the League Cup on September 23, 2008.
Fran Mérida started on the left wing for the League Cup home tie again Wigan in November 2008 in which Arsenal won the game 3–0, with Merida playing the whole match. On March 2 2009, Arsene Wenger heaped praise on Fran, claiming the reason for Fran Mérida making the bench for the previous few first team games is because "Fran Mérida has been doing very, very well. Fran Mérida looks really good in training and is getting stronger all the time." Mérida spend the best part of February training with the first team and looks set to finish the season on the fringes of the squad. Just 3 days later, Mérida made Fran Mérida Premier League debut, coming off the bench for Samir Nasri with just 8 minutes to go in the 3–1 win at West Brom, hours before Fran Mérida 19th birthday. Mérida also finished the season by coming off the bench against Portsmouth.

Loan to Real Sociedad

On December 27, 2007, Iñaki Badiola, then-prospective presidential candidate of the Spain club Real Sociedad, claimed Fran Mérida agreed a loan deal with Arsenal for Mérida till the end of the Segunda División Segunda División 2007–08. Badiola became Real Sociedad president on January 4 and Merida's loan to Real Sociedad was confirmed five days later. Fran Mérida made 14 appearances during the loan.

International career

Mérida was one of the star members of the Spanish U-17 squad, that won the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship UEFA U-17 Championships. In July 2007, Fran Mérida also starred for the Spain U-17 squad in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea but, they finished runners up, losing to a dominant Nigeria in a penalty shootout, with Mérida missing the second penalty of the three taken.

Arsenal career statistics

Honours

Arsenal

International

- 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship

- 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup: Runners up

Individual