Fran the Man... actually, he's still a Boy! 10 things you need to know about Arsenal starlet Fran Merida
Arsenal youngster Fran Merida admits he is uncertain about his future at the Emirates, and is attracting interest from Atletico Madrid. But what do we know about the Spanish teenager?
MirrorFootball's Patrick Gysin fills in the blanks...
1) Francisco Merida Perez was born on March 4, 1990 in Barcelona, Spain.
2) He joined Barcelona's youth ranks when he was only eight years old.
3) He left the Nou Camp in September 2005, aged just 15, when Cesc Fabregas' agent, Joseba Diaz, brokered a deal to take him to Arsenal's academy. Arsenal eventually had to pay the Spanish giants £3million in compensation.
4) He signed his first professional contract with Arsenal shortly after his 17th birthday.
5) He scored on his first team debut for Arsenal in a friendly against Boreham Wood in August 2006. He made his competitive debut 13 months later as a substitute in Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the League Cup 3rd Round.
6) Merida was loaned out to Spanish side Real Sociedad in December 2007. He made 14 appearances for the club, scoring one goal.
7) His contract at the Emirates expires next summer and Arsene Wenger will be keen to keep him. The Frenchman has high hopes for the teenage midfielder, describing him as "an absolutely amazing player".
8) Merida was one of Spain's stars in the side that won 2007 UEFA Under-17 Championships. He also helped Spain to finish runners-up in the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in South Korea. They lost in the final to Nigeria after a penalty shoot-out, with Merida missing the second penalty of the three the Spaniards took.
9) Last summer, he was named as one of the Top 10 stars for the future at the UEFA Under-19 Championship.
10) After impressing during the pre-season Emirates Cup, he was included in Arsenal's first team for the new season and handed shirt number 32, formerly worn by Theo Walcott.
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