Noooo! Merida to leave Arsenal for Atletico Madrid!
Merida - Off to Atletico?
Uh-oh, it seems like the young Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida has set his mind on returning to Spain with Atletico Madrid, according to his agent Joseba Diaz.
Merida’s contract runs out next summer and he is free to talk to other clubs in January, and it looks to be that he is only going to talk to Atletico. Arsenal have offered the Spain U20 star a new five year contract, which remains on the table, but he has so far refused to put pen to paper.
After scoring against Liverpool in the Carling Cup, Merida told the official Arsenal website that he loved Arsenal, loved London, and he hoped that they could come to an agreement on the new contract, but his agent says that this is NOT the case.
“We only have an offer from Arsenal but Fran Merida has an illness, for want of a better word, and that is Atletico Madrid and you can’t do anything about that,” said Diaz.
“‘It started in 1996 when Atletico won the league and the Copa del Rey. He slept on red and white sheets, he followed Atletico whenever he had the chance.”
“Even when he was with his family he wore a gold ring with the Atletico badge stuck on it.”
I had a feeling when he didn’t sign a new contract that he would be leaving, especially as Atletico admitted that Merida was in their plans for next year.
Merida said a couple of weeks ago, when the Atletico interest was made known: “Atletico are one of the best clubs in Spain and a Champions League club and I am really pleased by the interest in me,” the teenager told AS.
“This is news to make me content but I have a deal signed with Arsenal until June 2010 and I still have not decided my future.”
“I have not accepted the offer from Arsenal for five more seasons but this does not change things. I want to study the situation calmly and decide what is best.”
So it seems that he had already decided and was just stringing us along. What a bummer!
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im almost 100% sure merida wont leave. he owes arsenal everything.
but if merida does leave arsenal, i say make merida pay arsenal the 2million that arsenal paid the courts. after all, this was meridas debt, not arsenals.
so what? if he wants to leave then he should leave.
can understand his predicament. how much games will he get, if AW persist with diaby, Eboue, non performing player like Arshavin in the 1st eleven. (sometimes can’t understand AW selection). he needs full game to prove himself to get regular place not a few minutes of cameo appearance here & there. must be thinking if he plays badly, will he get the same chance as the others. life as a footballer is short & uncertain.
If Merida wants to go to Atletico Madrid then that,s his decision ,ne just better hope it doesn,t backfire on him when Atletico are relegated next year May in La Liga.Jose Antonio Reyes and Alex.Hleb left for not so greener pastures to their detriment ,with Hleb moaning and groaning now that he,s back in Germany ,to late for tears Mister Hleb ,it was your decision to go to Barcelona not Arsenes,s
to tell you the truth i think that if he wants to go he should. We have a lot of players coming through he is one of them thats it.He is very good dont get me wrong but he hasnt proven himself that much he scored a cracker against Liverpool and quite frankly if Wenger thought he was ready he wouldnt have been contemplating loaning him at all the fact that he did shows that he has only jus reached the optimum level Wenger expected that why he has kept him.
Look at Ramsey,why isnt Merida getting as much games as Ramsey?coz he aint ready thats the gist of it
Merida you can go if you want I would wish you well,but I assure you,you and Reyes will be very close on the bench,and maybe even fade into oblivion whereas here you know your time is around the corner.
Either way um looking forward to the outcome of all this.
gunnersgun if you’re suggesting that Arsene drops arshavin then it shows how little you know about football. 3 assists against Alkmaar tonight by the way. If you watch the games arshavin always works hard, and can create a goal in an instant eg against Man Utd.
Hello Guys,
Why do we have to let go a star when we are known for a have a young talent making side. If i was Wenger i wont have let Merida go. Ideal situation : Merida, Fabregas, Arshavin and sell Diaby, rosicky and make Ramsey play. These guys are stars. Come on Wenger!!
Merida has to be a lil’bit patient. He’s damn gud we knw all that bt he shld knw that nt every footballer blossoms at an early stage look at drogba he becm a star at 30.