Leeds United target Fran Merida enjoyed an eventful evening as Osasuna drew with Barcelona B on Friday.
According to a report from the Daily Mail from back in September, Leeds are keeping a keen eye on Osasuna midfielder Fran Merida as they look to capitalise on their bright start in the Championship.
Merida – previously of Arsenal – is a key man for the Spanish side, and it appears that Victor Orta and Thomas Christiansen are currently weighing up whether to make a move for the 27-year-old during the January transfer window.
Unfortunately for the Whites if they are still monitoring the Spaniard, his latest performance may well have left the Whites feeling very confused regarding whether they plan to make a move.
Merida’s Osasuna found themselves 2-0 down at home to Barcelona B on Friday. But after Quique halved the deficit, it was Merida who scored the equaliser shortly after half-time to complete the very impressive turnaround for the table-toppers.
However, Merida would not see the game out as he collected a second yellow card shortly after the hour mark to leave Osasuna playing out the final half-hour with 10 men.
It is no surprise that the midfielder picked up two yellow cards as he has tended to go into the referee’s book in most games he has played this term, so it will be interesting whether Orta and Christiansen deem that fighting spirit to potentially be beneficial, or whether it would be too much of a risk to look to bring him to Elland Road in January.
But perhaps, with Leeds changing system at the weekend to fairly devastating effect, it could certainly be argued that bolstering their options in the middle of the park may be necessary in the winter.
Christiansen played three holding midfielders at the weekend – pushing Kalvin Phillips further forward in the process – and if he continues with a similar system, perhaps it would not be a surprise if signing an additional midfielder in January is on the agenda.
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