- Atletico Madrid's interest in Arsenal striker Fran Merida has been reciprocated in kind. Merida's contract runs out at the end of the season and if his agent doesn't use Madrid's interest to get a better deal for Merida at Emirates, the starlet could be La Liga bound. Merida is currently the seventh forward for Arsenal with RVP, AA, Walcott, Bendtner, Eduardo, and Vela ahead of him.
Well just last game we saw two players that we more or less squandered in David Bentley and Wilson Palacios (Wenger liked Palacios but didn't have room for him on the team). Merida probably sees them, then sees three forwards ahead of him in the rotation (Walcott, Vela, and Bendtner all under 22-years old), and recognizes that unless he somehow passes them he's not going to be playing much outside of small cup competition and reserve play. I'm sure he'd rather go to Barca because that's his home but Madrid probably seems like a nice option at the moment.
Patience is key. I think he'll be fine. A healthy version of Theo now, with no improvements, is still a good player for us. Maybe not the star England was hoping for but at the very least a talented winger.
But an injury-prone youngster is not a good thing. He's missing out on valuable playing time at this age and his consistent injuries are making me fear the worst.
- Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are weighing up a January move for CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic. - Arsenal's teenage Spanish striker Fran Merida hopes to sign a new contract with the Gunners despite interest from Atletico Madrid and a host of other La Liga clubs. - Arsene Wenger told Harry Redknapp and Spurs supporters that their club is 12-years behind Arsenal and they can start to compare themselves to the Gunners, or claim superiority, once they have matched Arsenal's 12-consecutive Champion's League appearances.
- Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has accused Atletico Madrid of 'tapping up' Arsenal's young midfielder Fran Merida. The 19-year-old Merida will be offered a new two-year contract by Arsenal to stay at the club. - Arsenal's major shareholder Stan Kroenke has provided reassurance to supporters that his involvement with the Gunners will not replicate the controversial model of leveraged takeovers which have caused such anger at Manchester United and Liverpool. - Arsenal's interest in 25-year old Serbian Milos Krasic is on the rise. He is rated at £18m.
Another piece of leverage: - Arsenal are planning life without skipper Cesc Fabregas by lining up a £15million swoop for Germany playmaker Mesut Ozil.
- Arsenal are set to offer £6m for Wolfsburg's Bosnian playmaker Zvjezdan Misimovic. - Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has threatened to quit the Gunners if Alisher Usmanov wins control of the club. Wenger would take over at Real Madrid instead.
The media throw that last one in there to try and upset Arsenal -- I'm completely serious. With this great amount of momentum behind us, why would Wenger randomly say this? Wenger has said many times before, he is a level below the boardroom and their politics. What happens up there has nothing to do with him and he will focus fully on the Arsenal first-team squad.
- Juventus have interest in Emmanuel Eboue and/or Bacary Sagna. - Manchester United have joined the waiting game Arsenal is playing with Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux). The striker will be available for free transfer in the summertime. - Zeievdan Misimovic (Vfl Wolfsberg) is on Wenger's shortlist along with Mesut Ozil (Werder Bremen). - Yaya Toure's (Barcelona) agent claims "bigger clubs" are interested in his client than Manchester City--Arsenal likely being one of them.
