Fran Looking To Cesc For Guidance

Young Arsenal starlet Fran Merdia says Cesc Fabregas is the man he looks upto at Arsenal.

Merida arrived under similar circumstances to Cesc Fabregas - via the Barcelona youth system.

Their style of play is also very similar, they both look to move foward all the time and both have fantastic vision. There are a couple of differences though, Fran is left footed, Cesc right; Merida likes to shoot more and he is also more dirct than Fabregas.

Speaking after his first season at Arsenal Merida said: 'For me, Cesc is a mirror which I look to. We have had the same upbringing and, since I arrived, he always was the first that gave me advice.

'The first thing that he said to me was that I learn English. The truth is that at the outset it was a little hard, but now I am very happy in London.

'My objective is to reach the first team of Arsenal, but what I now must do is work every day without thinking in the long term.'

When asked about Wenger's youth policy he added: 'In his ten years as coach of the club, he has demonstrated that he knows when to give youngsters their chance.'

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