Fran Merida Perez

Fran joined Arsenal in the summer of 2007, after coming through the youth ranks at Barcelona, but his parents felt the Catalan club would not help him reach his full potential and decided to look for a club in Europe.

Liverpool and Arsenal both made offers for Fran, and the success of fellow Spaniard Cesc Fabregas, meant he agreed a move to North London, a classy left footed play-maker blessed with a high technical level, and an eye for a pass, he stormed on to the scene scoring on his Reserves debut with a stunning free kick against Boreham Wood.

He went on to become the lynch-pin for the Under 18s and became a regular in the FA Youth Cup run, winning various man of the match awards, one of the highlights came as he pulled the strings as the Gunners came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Tottenham in the Reserves league, setting up a goal, and then scoring a long range free kick.
Arsenal were so impressed they handed him a two year pro contract in September of 2007.

This season he started very slowly, after playing for eventual winners Spain at the Under 17’s world cup he returned with the season already underway, but he scored his first goal of the season in the hammering of Boreham Wood in a friendly.

He made his first team debut, coming on as a subsitute, in the 3-0 Carling Cup win over Newcastle, and he went on to feature in the next round’s against Sheffield United, and Blackburn Rovers.

In January 2008, Fran was loaned back to Spain with Real Sociedad until the end of the season.

Name: Fran Merida Perez
Age: 17
Nationality: Spanish
Position: Central Midfield, Left Midfield
Previous Clubs: FC Barcelona
Contract: Professional