da 888： Arsenal have the perfect chance to secure their first Premier League title since 2003/2004 this season, with the Gunners sitting pretty at the top of the table, five points clear of Manchester City.
da dobrowin： Mikel Arteta has managed to develop his side over the last couple of seasons and his persistence has paid off, while his signings in the transfer market have also been excellent, with Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard certainly adding something extra.
The Spaniard appears to be looking towards the future too, with the ultimate aim of building a dynasty that could dominate English football. With this in mind, the north Londoners have recently been linked with a move for Lille midfielder, Carlos Baleba.
The 19-year-old has burst onto the scene this season and the Ligue 1 side will be looking at a fee of around £30m for any team hoping to secure his signature and this could well turn out to be a bargain.
If Arteta does manage to sign Baleba, the 40-year-old could uncover his answer to a hugely influential figure in the club's history – Patrick Vieira.
Who is Carlos Baleba?
Vieira arrived at Arsenal as a young fresh-faced midfielder from the continent having impressed in his first few first-team appearances for AC Milan and Wenger saw enough talent to land the promising youngster for just £3.5m in 1996, subsequently turning him into one of the finest players in Europe.
Baleba has limitless potential and his Lille teammate Remy Cabella recently lauded the teen sensation, saying: "He's a monster, his big strength is power. On the ball, he has incredible strength (…). I think it's very, very hard to stop him."
He already appears to be embodying the qualities that Vieira had in abundance, a powerful runner who could create plenty of chances for his teammates, along with a stubborn defensive ability.
Indeed, this season, the Cameroonian has won ten tackles and 72.7% of his challenges while generating 2.62 shot-creating actions per match and completing 83.9% of his attempted passes this season in only 12 appearances.
Arsenal have been missing a player in Vieira’s mould for the previous 15 years and although there is no guarantee Baleba could hit the same heights, his potential combined with the chance to develop further under Arteta, there could be plenty of scope for the 19-year-old to turn into one of the finest talents in the country.