Eden Hazard is being tipped widely for player-of-the-year honours although, out of nothing but blind loyalty, Wenger suggests Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez might be a better shout.
That said, Hazard himself could easily have fallen under the Frenchman's umbrella, even to the extent that his agent was invited to Wenger's house to talk over a move three years ago before he finally put pen to paper on a move to the other side of London with Chelsea.
The reason, Wenger explained ahead of the meeting between the two clubs, was a frustratingly simple one.
"I have no big regrets because at the time there was so much financial, so much money involved we could not afford it," he said. "And not defend it, honestly. It was linked with all the environment. It was not feasible for us financially."