It might not quite be Vieira and Petit, but there's so much to like about this modern-day midfield pairing at Arsenal, with Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi having been central to everything good about the Gunners this season.
So often a perceived weakness at the Emirates, particularly in Arsene Wenger's latter days, that Rice and Zubimendi combination has made the north London side a force to be reckoned with once again.
The pair have been almost ever-present in 2025/26, although in the long term, that might be a little unsustainable, with the peripheral Christian Norgaard the only truly defensive-minded alternative in the current ranks.
Arteta-Zubimendi-Arsenal
Heading into the summer then, while the priority may lie in that left-wing berth - amid talk of a bold Khvicha Kvaratskhelia approach - further midfield reinforcements also appear to be on the agenda.
Arsenal ready to hijack move for £100m midfield sensation
The £60m capture of Zubimendi last summer, amid prior interest from Liverpool, almost looked like the final piece of the puzzle as far as Mikel Arteta is concerned, even more so than Viktor Gyokeres, with the arrival of the deep-lying Spaniard allowing Rice to be unleashed in more of a box-to-box, number eight role.
That said, despite a season of real positivity, the influence of the former Real Sociedad man has waned in recent weeks, having been particularly disappointing in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.
As club legend Ian Wright suggested post-match, the 27-year-old simply "couldn't get going" as Arsenal struggled to retain possession, with Zubimendi's place likely to be under threat if a marquee summer signing is made.
Zubimendi - Carabao Cup final
Stat
Minutes
Touches
Pass accuracy
Key passes
Possession lost
Carries
Tackles
Ground duels won
Aerial duels won
Dribbled past
Indeed, as per Caught Offside, the north Londoners are believed to be exploring a deal for Nottingham Forest sensation, Elliot Anderson, with Andrea Berta sensing that there is an opportunity to land the Englishman ahead of rivals Manchester City.
As per the report, the Etihad side are believed to be the frontrunners at present, although Arsenal could well be readying something of a hijack, with City yet to fully wrap a deal for the 23-year-old.
elliot-anderson-nottingham-forest
In terms of a price, the suggestion is that the former Newcastle United starlet would command a fee in excess of £100m, in a similar ballpark to the £105m that was dished out on Rice three years ago.
Why Anderson could be a potential Zubimendi upgrade for Arsenal
Rice, for so long, has been the centre-piece of England's midfield since swapping allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, now heading for a fourth major tournament in a row ahead of this summer's World Cup.
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Fresh from their Carabao Cup final defeat, Arsenal have commenced talks to sign a Premier League star this summer.
The last six years or so have seen the 27-year-old line up next to a string of midfield colleagues, be it Kalvin Phillips at Euro 2020, or Kobbie Mainoo at Euro 2024, yet Anderson could well be his new long-term partner on current evidence.
The Forest sensation was the star of the Autumn under Thomas Tuchel's watch, showcasing why he is capturing the attention of the Premier League's elite clubs.
There is a completeness to his game that is certainly appealing, with the Geordie playmaker such an asset on the ball, while also boasting that much-needed work ethic and physicality to make him the perfect modern-day midfielder.
In many ways, he is very much like Arsenal's number 41 in that regard, with ex-Wales and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders having previously made that comparison:
"His football brain is amazing. He has to add some goals to his game, but he can play any position in that midfield. Number six, number eight, number 10.
"He is like Declan Rice. He can do a bit of everything."
Already the man in line to start alongside Rice at the World Cup, who's to say Anderson can't also take his place at club level next term, having sparkled in a struggling side this season.
It wouldn't be outlandish to suggest that the youngster might even be an upgrade on Zubimendi, particularly in a creative sense, having provided two assists, created six 'big chances' and averaged 1.5 key passes per game in the Premier League in 2025/26.
For comparison, Zubimendi has registered just one assist, created only one big chance and averaged just 0.5 key passes, albeit while bettering his Forest counterpart with regard to pass accuracy (88% vs 86%).
Out of possession too, there's only one winner, with Anderson averaging four tackles and interceptions, alongside 8.4 ball recoveries, thus bettering the Basque-born maestro, who averages 2.8 and 3.2 for those same two metrics, respectively.
Perhaps that is impacted by Forest's place in the relegation fight, yet Anderson has showcased that he can thrive in a more dominant team too, boasting a stellar 93% pass accuracy rate across his five World Cup qualification games late last year.
Elliot Anderson World Cup Qualifying stats (timeless)
He can bring the control and the fight, much like Rice has already done at the Emirates, and having already beaten City to the punch for the latter man's signing, why not do so again for his compatriot?
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