A further alternative that Wenger may consider is the man who resembles N’Golo Kante in style more than most. Like a mini Kante (we’re getting into some sort of weird Russian dolls scenario here), Gueye has excelled in his second season in the Premier League.

The diminutive Senegal midfielder’s stats are actually better than player of the year N’Golo Kante’s. At 3.6 tackles per game, Kante has demonstrated his phenomenal ability to be in the right place at the right time – breaking up attacks and setting attacking play in motion.

Yet Idrissa Gueye smashed Kante’s record with 4.1 tackles per game. The Senegal midfielder obviously has more attacks to break up given that he plays in a team that do not retain possession as well as Chelsea. However, that should not detract from how vital he was to Everton’s season.

Similar is their ability to intercept passes. Both players have a knack for reading the situation and positioning themselves in strategic areas of the pitch. Kante recorded 2.4 interceptions whilst Idrissa Gueye narrowly bettered it with 2.5.

Anyone who has sat through a Chelsea game with me will know how much I idolise Kante. He has proven the Makelele theory to be true. After years of those suggesting that Claude was a one of a kind, an exception to the rule that midfielders should be able to change a lightbulb without the use of a stepladder and that Makele was simply an extraordinary footballer, Kante came along and flipped everyone the bird and proved that defensive midfielders come in all shapes and sizes – although he probably would have flipped the bird in the least aggressive, kindest way possible.

He is a wander in a museum on a Sunday afternoon, a brew after a cold, hard day at work, a 13.5 tog duvet on a cheerless winter night. He brings warmth and security to all; whilst someone like Wanyama is a shift at the local Weatherspoons. They are incomparable – despite both being tasked with the same job.

Wenger turned Arsenal’s season around by plagiarising Conte’s three at the back system last year. He Azpilicueta-ed Monreal into a make-shift centre back and used the teachings of Moses to convert Oxlade Chamberlain to a wing back. He didn’t even bother to change his answers a bit to make it look like he hadn’t copied.

It stands to reason then, should Wenger wish to emulate Chelsea’s success that he replicates the most important cog in the machine: Kante.

There doesn’t seem to be a player as comparable to Kante as Gueye. Their stats are almost identical with each player edging the other ever so slightly here and there.

My maths teacher used to say “It’s ok to cheat, as long as you don’t get caught.” (He was asked to leave the following year). But the point still stands. Wenger has been taking the Premier League test for years and has failed to pass since 2004. He’s already got the same answers for the first part of the test, why not copy the rest of Conte’s exam – he’s clearly been revising.

Having only spent one season at Everton and Aston Villa respectively, Idrissa Gueye looks to be on an upward trajectory. Everton would loathe to lose him – but ambition is often hard to stop.

If a deal could be done, Wenger may pass his exams with flying colours.