In the last 15 years, Barcelona have parted with a reported £123m to sign a total of eight players from Arsenal.

Thomas Vermaelen is the most recent footballer to have taken what has become the well-trodden path from North London to Catalonia, as did the likes of Thierry Henry, Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Aleksander Hleb before him.

Yet, it was on this day in 2000 that two players, both of whom had joined the Gunners at the same time three years earlier, started the trend.

Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit had played key roles in Arsenal's Premier League and FA Cup double triumph of 1998, but just two years later they were bound for the Camp Nou for a combined fee of £32m.

The bulk of that outlay was reserved for Dutch winger Overmars, who set the Spanish outfit back £25m, which was a record fee for a player from the Netherlands.

Having scored 41 goals in 142 outings for Arsenal, Overmars would be joining a Barca side that contained a number of his international teammates - Patrick Kluivert, Winston Bogarde and the De Boer brothers. But, the club's fans were still reeling from the recent loss of Luis Figo to arch rivals Real Madrid.

Speaking on his official website at the time of the move, Overmars, who was signed to replace Figo out wide, said: "Of course many of my friends and international teammates are already there. I can't wait to pull on the famous shirt and play my first game.

"Although the fee has nothing to do with me, all the same it is flattering to be the subject of such a high fee, which I believe is the highest in Dutch football history.

"I certainly intend to make history at the Nou Camp. It has been a fantastic three years for me at Highbury, now for the next chapter in my career."

Meanwhile, Petit's move went somewhat under the radar, although Overmars did add: "Myself and Emmanuel Petit, who I believe will be joining me, were unveiled at Arsenal on the same day.

"On Saturday afternoon I will be presented to the Spanish media and amazing Barcelona fans, I am glad Manu will be at my side again."

Despite the excitement that surrounded their arrivals, neither player was able to replicate the form in Spain that they had displayed in England.

Petit lasted just 12 months before returning to London with Chelsea, while Overmars stuck it out for three seasons, only for injuries to limit his number of appearances prior to his retirement in 2004.