Arsenal have largely enjoyed a successful start to the summer window, tying up a move for Kai Havertz amidst pressure from Real Madrid, and then battling off Manchester City to secure a deal for Declan Rice.
Even Jurrien Timber's imminent signing marks a massive success, given the strong interest Manchester United showed in the Dutchman last summer before opting for Lisandro Martinez.
Therefore, it could be argued that Mikel Arteta's sole failure of the window thus far was failing to tempt Ilkay Gundogan to also join his revolution.
The German international, whose contract was due to expire this summer, was unsurprisingly coveted by plenty of Europe's elite. Pep Guardiola wanted him to re-sign, whilst Barcelona were also in the race for the man who had just captained his side to an infamous treble.
Despite the Gunners continuing to be linked too, it was instead the Catalan giants who convinced the 32-year-old, with his switch to Camp Nou confirmed just last month.
It was a missed opportunity to secure a serial winner, and a top-quality technical operator who could have further improved a system that helped the north London outfit lead the Premier League title race for so long.
However, such has been their intelligence in the market already, an alternative has cropped up who arguably boasts far greater value given the longevity promised should they acquire Gabri Veiga from Celta Vigo.
Whilst his reported €40m (£34m) price tag might prove a stumbling block, the 21-year-old would help fill that advanced central midfield role for potentially the next decade, with Arteta able to morph the Spaniard in his image.
What type of midfielder is Gabri Veiga?
Last season for the Cityzens, Gundogan featured 51 times across all competitions. Despite having enjoyed finer goalscoring seasons in the past, it felt like few had been as important as the ones notched on their way to the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles.
As such, his tally of 11 goals and seven assists underpins a legendary campaign for a man who will go down in history at the club.
However, his importance to Guardiola's system was not solely tied to these figures, as his intelligence and ability to retain possession helped enforce their stranglehold on possession throughout matches.
Their revolutionary philosophy was largely upheld through his presence beside Kevin De Bruyne, as a floating central midfielder to link play and pop up in between the lines.
As such, when compared to other midfielders across Europe, the former Borussia Dortmund maestro ranks in the top 12% for pass completion and the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, via FBref.
He would accept the ball in tight areas, and still keep the play ticking over.
Although Veiga has enjoyed a far more all-action term for his boyhood club, there is precedent to believe that he could easily be moulded into such a role, given the assets he already boasts.
Having recorded 15 goal contributions last season in La Liga, already the figures are comparable to Gundogan's. However, he too ranks in the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, suggesting this ability to float into space and take possession.
Such an ability to ghost into these areas even led journalist Euan McTear to brand him "dangerous" when speaking to Zach Lowy about his form.
Combining this with the 77% pass accuracy in the league, that can easily be improved upon, and those attributes that made Gundogan so successful are all there for Veiga to work with too.
Despite his price tag being far more than the free transfer they could have got, this Spain U21 international would arguably mark better business given the bright future he boasts.