Arsenal's desperation to bridge the gap between themselves and Manchester City has seen some huge similarities emerge between the two sides. After all, Mikel Arteta was a student of Pep Guardiola's before graduating into the Emirates dugout.
As such, the Spaniard is well-versed in the fluid philosophy that is set to earn the Citizens an infamous treble, should they get past Inter Milan in the Champions League final this Sunday.
It is not a bad thing to mimic such perfection.
In terms of play style, both teams employ inverted wing backs and seek to assert total control over a game, yet it is really just the quality of the players and their depth that sets them apart. To think that just last summer the north London outfit tempted both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from the Etihad, and still struggled to remain at the level of their rivals.
As such, they arguably need to start copying their truly unparalleled assets, to secure their own version of the likes of Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne if they are to challenge properly.
With the latter, perhaps Edu has already identified their own version of the Belgian, as reports in Spain continue to link them with a move for the €30m (£26m) man Gabri Veiga. Although young and very raw, he has shown the immense potential that suggests he could well be nurtured to a level similar to the legendary 31-year-old.
Could Gabri Veiga copy Kevin De Bruyne at Arsenal?
The key assets of the former VFL Wolfsburg magician are his passing, goalscoring and dynamic work rate, with the former two showcased through his ten goals and ridiculous 31 assists in all competitions this season.
In fact, ever since his £54.4m move to Manchester in 2015, the £400k-per-week wizard has recorded 248 goal contributions in 355 games. It is no surprise that pundit Jamie Redknapp branded him "the greatest" in terms of Premier League midfielders back in April, with his unattainable levels never waning.
Whilst Veiga might feel overawed by the prospect of emulating this, he has proven himself capable of being mentioned in the same breath with his work for a struggling Celta Vigo side. The 21-year-old has notched 11 goals and assisted a further four, with journalist Euan McTear even branding him "dangerous".
When compared to other midfielders across Europe's big five leagues, the special youngster ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, the top 2% for total shots, the top 12% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area, all per 90, via FBref. He is a true offensive leader despite his youth.
To excel against others in his role across the continent is one thing, but in the same categories, De Bruyne instead ranks in the top 3% for non-penalty goals, the top 3% for total shots, the top 13% for successful take-ons and the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.
The gulf in quality is not as large as it might seem, with journalist Rimedi even lauding him as a "baby Kaka".
With this kind of comparison, to a legendary playmaker like the Brazilian, it is clear that the sky truly is the limit for Veiga. Under Arteta, should Edu push this move through, he truly could become the missing creative piece needed to topple City and emulate De Bruyne.
