Atletico eye £10m Fran Merida
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Merida scored a stunner against Liverpool in the Carling Cup on Wednesday
Watch the goal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rhnVyCeGQ4
ATLETICO MADRID have stepped up their interest in Arsenal ace Fran Merida.
The £10million-rated midfielder, 19, scored a stunner against Liverpool in the Carling Cup on Wednesday. But he could be a free agent in the summer and Atletico president Enrique Cerezo confirmed last night: "He has entered into our plans for next season. "He is a player that interests us. The decision rests with the kid because he is free in June."
Merida wants to keep his options open and is currently talking to the Gunners about a new deal. The Spaniard, picked up from Barcelona in 2006, said: "At the moment I am talking to the club so I don't know what is going to happen.
"Hopefully everything is going to be all right but we are going to sit down and talk about it. "I am really happy in London."
Sources close to Merida suggest his family are in favour of a move back to Spain. He has made only four Carling Cup starts for the Gunners and spent four months on loan at Real Sociedad last year.
Merida shares the same agent as Cesc Fabregas, Joseba Diaz, and a source close to the player indicated yesterday: "Fran views the possible return to Spain as an attractive one but he has still not decided about his future."
Merida's stay at Arsenal has not been without controversy.
He was ordered by the courts to pay around £2m to Barca as compensation - which he is appealing - for "failing to meet the terms of a personal pre-contract."