Fran Merida will join Atletico Madrid this summer

Arsenal are worried that they will lose Fran Merida at the end of the season with Atletico Madrid keen to lure him back to his native Spain.

The 19-year-old, who joined Arsenal from Barcelona in 2007, is out of contract in June and Atletico are set to offer him a pre-contract agreement which he would be allowed to sign now under FIFA’s post-Bosman regulations.
Arsenal are powerless to stop the Spain Under 21 midfielder from leaving in the summer but they are still entitled to a transfer fee from his new club as he is under 23 years old.

On his way: Fran Merida (right) is walking out on Arsenal

‘I fear the worst but I don’t know,’ said manager Arsene Wenger.

‘We made him an offer but he could never finalise it for different reasons. He is at the stage where he wants to play and he needs to play. I don’t know if he has signed somewhere else. I am a bit disappointed if he has.’

Merida started Sunday’s FA Cup tie at West Ham but has not started a Premier League game.