Just Arsenal News

The young Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida is still in negotiations with the Gunners over a new contract, and has so far refused to sign a five-year extension offered by Arsene Wenger, although the Arsenal boss says that he has agreed to the terms.

There have been extensive rumours that he was being tapped-up by Atletico Madrid, mostly put about by his agent, Joseba Diaz, but yesterday Diaz stated that Atletico has NOT approached him, and Merida is now keen to stay at the Emirates.

“I do not know what Atletico are waiting for in bidding for a player [Merida] who has half of Europe after him,” Diaz said.

“It’s true that as a child he was ’sick’ about Atletico but everything has changed a bit. Now his heart and head are with Arsenal,”

“There are much falsehoods in the world of football because the players do not decide what team they play for. The priority now is to negotiate with Arsenal and in the future we’ll see. The desire is to keep him at Arsenal and succeed.”

So it seems that Diaz was just hoping that Atletico would come in with a bid so that he could make a quick buck, but it has backfired on him. So that’s a bit of good news for the Arsenal fans.

But not so good is the news that Phillipe Senderos is getting frustrated sitting on the bench. Arsene Wenger has already told the world that he will not be rotating his centre-backs as long as Gallas and Vermaelen remain fit he will keep the partnership together in the crucial months leading up to Christmas, which means that Senderos is unlikely to get a look-in.

“I need to seek a solution as I’m not playing for Arsenal,” said Senderos yesterday

“A change of clubs in the winter is an option – I am keeping all doors open.

“This is a difficult time. It is like a test that I have to come through, but I believe in God and have to stay strong.”

I think that Wenger would be quite happy to let him go, as he proved by negotiating with Everton in the summer, but he is not going to let him go on the cheap.

The problem is that no-one will pay good money for a player that has hardly had a competitive game in over a year.

If Senderos has really sorted his head out then he needs to keep fit and be patient and wait for his chance.

His time will come, surely sooner rather than later.