Leeds are interested in Fran Merida, formerly of Barcelona.
Fran Merida is an interesting potential signing for Leeds United, amid reports in The Mail that they are scouting him at Osasuna.
Leeds do not have a particular need for extra central midfielders, that is an area where they are arguably the strongest.
But Merida offers something extra, the potential to mentor several of their young talents.
Leeds invested in youth this summer, bringing in several top talents from Spain.
Ousama Siddiki, Alejandro Machuca, Adrian Balboa and Hugo Diaz all signed from Spanish clubs, while Kun Temenuzhkov and Oriol Rey signed from Merida’s former club Barcelona.
Merida joined Arsenal from Barcelona as a teenager, in similar circumstances to their departures for Leeds.
The midfielder did manage to make it into the Gunners first team before quitting for Atletico Madrid, a move he admitted to The Mirror in 2015 that he regretted.
Merida is the perfect mentor for Leeds’ Spanish young guns, as a player who has recently been in the same situation and can offer career guidance and tips on and off the pitch.
He can still play a valuable role for the first team and add real competition to an already talented squad, but Merida’s most telling impact could be helping guide the highly rated Kun and co to stardom.
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