Unlike today's cosmopolitan squad at the Emirates Stadium, the players available to Arsenal manager George Graham in 1990 were predominantly home-grown.
Indeed, apart from Republic of Ireland international David O'Leary and Icelandic midfielder Sigurour Jonsson, every single member of the squad was English.
However, it was 25 years ago today that Graham looked overseas to bolster his options when he secured the services of Anders Limpar from Italian club Cremonese for a reported £1m.
Upon his arrival at Highbury, not much was known about the Swedish winger, but by the end of his first campaign in England, Limpar had made himself a firm favourite among the Arsenal faithful.
The Gunners won the First Division title in 1990-91, thanks in part to Limpar's 11-goal contribution. He was the club's third-highest goalscorer behind Paul Merson and Alan Smith, who found the net 13 and 22 times respectively.
In the campaigns that followed, Limpar's appearance numbers dropped, with speculation at the time having claimed that Graham had lost trust in the Solna-born midfielder.
He eventually departed North London for Everton in 1994, having scored 17 goals from his 96 appearances in Arsenal colours.
Speaking about his departure, Limpar revealed that he was bitterly disappointed at the way that he was treated by Graham: "He sold me in April with my contract running out in May. No talk of extending the contract, just 'bye bye'. I said - 'I would like to carry on playing for Arsenal and sign a new deal', to which he replied - 'No you are not.'
"So I said - 'but I've won so many titles in four years for you, is that not enough?' So we went in to his office and I had my agent with me and Graham is talking and says: 'I have a really good offer from Manchester City so you are going there.'
"So I realised that I was leaving the club, extended my hand to shake his hand and said - 'Well, thanks for four years then.' Then he just swivelled round on his chair and stared into the wall. So after four years he did not even shake my hand. We started driving towards Manchester but then we had a phone call from Everton, spoke to them and joined Everton in the end."
Limpar helped Everton to win the FA Cup in 1995, before playing for a host of clubs prior to his retirement back in his homeland in 2008.
Liam Apicella
