The agreement had been closed weeks ago, but until there was an exit, Espanyol was not going to start the movements in its squad. Víctor Sánchez said goodbye on Tuesday and this Wednesday the club announced Fran Mérida, the first reinforcement of the team, who must return to the First Division in a year. The Barcelonian, trained in the Barça quarry, signs for two seasons with an optional third and arrives free from Osasuna.
Mérida is a midfielder who, as a cadet, made the leap to England. Born in 1990, he was signed by Arsenal, a club that took over several players from the Barça youth academy, the most notorious Cesc Fàbregas. Mérida spent a little more than two seasons but the professional stage did not materialize and returned to Spain. First, to the ranks of the Royal Society. At that time he was starting an unstable career, in which he went through Atlético de Madrid, Sporting de Braga, Hércules or Atlético Paranaense de Brasil.
He found his game in Huesca and stability in Osasuna, a club in which he has played for four seasons. Experience is not lacking. In total, he has played 138 games in Second Division, 58 in First Division and as many in foreign leagues or Second B. Born in Barcelona, his sister Sara Mérida has also developed her sports career at Espanyol, although several knee injuries separated her from the elite.
With Mérida, which will be presented this afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at the RCDE Stadium, Vicente Moreno wins a balanced player, with a good footing for the category and a worker, also with experience and leadership in midfield. A footballer who is called to be an important piece.