Interview

Limpar - The story behind my move to Arsenal

It is exactly 28 years since we signed the original super Swede, Anders Limpar.

The winger made an instant impression, helping us win the 1990/91 title and becoming a firm fan favourite.

But how did the move come about?

"The story I’ve heard is that Mr George Graham wanted a goalie, a centre half and a winger, so he bought Seaman, Andy Linighan and me," Limpar told Arsenal Player. 

"However, I didn’t know so much about English football. I saw a couple of games before my arrival and I thought the football was brutal. So hard with tackles flying in and everything and I thought, ‘How am I going to cope with this kind of hard football?’ 

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"I came from Italy where it was, not better football, but more of a passing game. But after a couple of games, wherever I looked we had an unbelievable squad. Wherever I looked we had a natural player in each position so it was quite easy for me to just fit in and do my work which I was good at, running and taking people on and crosses. 

"That was actually the last bit of the jigsaw and I think I won five or six trophies in four years with that team, so all credit to all the players involved and especially Nigel Winterburn, who made me look good.

 

"He did everything in his power to help me," Limpar added. "I can tell you now because it’s been many years, but George Graham wanted me to defend so much, but when the game started Nigel always told me, ‘Don’t worry about the defence, just go and attack and I’ll take care of the rest.' 

"To have that full-back behind you is easy and I was like 99 per cent going forward and one per cent going back."

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