Fran Merida

Francisco Merida Perez is a young Spanish football player who currently features for the Spanish football club Atletico Madrid. He plays as a midfielder.

Fran Merida developed at the youth ranks of Catalan giants FC Barcelona and progressed marvelously. However in 2006 he was convinced by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to move to London but in October 2007 he was ordered by the courts to pay Barcelona a fee of around 3.2 million euros for failing to meet his pre-contract agreements.

Fran Merida signed a professional contract with Arsenal after his 17th birthday. He made his first debut for the Gunners against Boreham Wood in August 2006 and made his first competitive debut for the north London side against Newcastle United in the League Cup.

Fran Merida was loaned to Spanish club Real Sociedad for the second half of the 2007-2008 season and featured in 14 second division matches for La Real and scored one goal.

Fran Merida was drafted back into the first team of Arsenal for the 2008-2009 season but in 2010 he moved to Atletico on a permanent deal.