The Arsenal Project - Fran Merida In

Wonderkid Fran Merida scored on his deubt for Arsenal on Friday ending speculation that the Barcelona youth player could sign professional papers with Liverpool or Manchester United.

Merida, who shares the same agent with one Cesc Fabregas has been widely lauded as the next Ronaldinho. Heady praise, but anyone who has seen the videos of Merida on the internet can attest to his magnificient touch and freakish ability on and off the ball.

While Chelsea may sign the likes of Ballack and Shevchenko, Arsene is intent on stocking our reserve and youth teams with the best and brightest young talent from around the world. And given that Arsenal FC simply do not have the financial resources to compete with Chelsea (in spite of being the most profitable club on earth), this is a very intelligent approach to team and club building.

I'm sure Arsene Wenger will bring Merida along on the same path as Fabregas which will see the new boy probably feature in Carling Cup matches and perhaps also in the FA Cup this season. If Merida can then press on into the first team, Wenger will have pulled off a yet another canny signing.

Rather than buying established stars, bringing the likes of Carlos Vela, Abou Diaby, Theo Walcott and Merida to club provides Wenger with a chance to mould both their characters and style of football in a fashion that suits and progresses the club. It also cost us about £450 000 to sign Merida rather than the £50-60m it might cost to buy Ronaldinho. Again, that is NOT to say that Merida will become as good as Ronaldinho but given Wenger's immense eye for spotting youth talent £450 000 is not much to wager on le Boss being right... again.

I will also admit that it is quite delicious to note that after 12 months of constant Henry to Barce rumour mongering, Barcelona have once more been raided of youth team gem.

Another consideration from this signing is the almost assured promise that Wenger will stay with the club past his current contract (ends in 2008). He will surely want to be in charge when Walcott, Djourou, Cesc, Vela, Bendtner, Muamba, Diaby, and Merida leave their TEENS and approach the prime of their careers with the club.