ˌɔn twˈɛnti sˈɪks ɑːktˈoʊbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪn, ɪt wʌz ɹᵻvˈiːld ðæt mˈɪɹiəm wʌz nˈaʊ tɹˈeɪnɪŋ ænd hˌævɪŋ tˈɔːks wɪð sˈæm ˈælɑːɹdˌaɪs æt blˈækbɜːn ɹˈoʊvɚz ɪn ɐ dˈiːl ðæt kʊd sˈiː hˌɪm dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðə lˈæŋkəʃɚ bˈeɪst klˈʌb ʌntˈɪl ðɪ ˈɛnd ʌvðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪn tˈɛn pɹəmˈɪɹ lˈiːɡ sˈiːzən.
On 26 October 2009, it was revealed that Meriem was now training and having talks with Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers in a deal that could see him joining the Lancashire based club until the end of the 2009–10 Premier League season.