Arguably one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues in the world, the Barclays Premier League attracts some of the world’s biggest and best players with the offer of huge financial rewards.
To date, the Premier League has welcomed 1,612 foreign footballers from over 100 countries including Oman and even the Seychelles but not all of them turn out to be a resounding success.
We have seen on countless occasions a “world class” player, highly regarded on the continent move to a Premier League club only to pack their bags and leave shortly after. Why is this?
There could be a number of reasons as to why this happens but if you factor in the change of climate, lack of a winter break and bouts of homesickness you could be left with a very unhappy player who is out of form and desperate to go home.
Could it be down to the “shop window” effect of a major tournament such as a World Cup, a European Championships or an African Nations Cup?
With the eyes of the world upon them, a handful of great performances from a player on a stage like this can make a Premier League club’s chairman reach for the cheque book.
The player arrives into a media circus touted as the club’s next big thing, only to make a hasty return back to easier, less competitive leagues after a handful of uninspiring appearances.
A bad experience for the player but a lucrative one nonetheless. It is a risk many are willing to take.
Of course, this isn’t always the case. Some players come to the English Premier League for a last hurrah – one final opportunity to test themselves in one of the toughest leagues in the world.
Money is no longer the driving factor for these players as they have made millions over the course of their careers. They are just seeking a final challenge and the chance to get their hands on an English trophy.
We have compiled a list which not only includes foreign players that you could genuinely say added value to their clubs but also those that didn’t live up to expectations on the pitch and returned home with their tail between their legs.
Henrik Larsson – Joining Manchester United on loan from Helsingborg during the Swedish off season in 2007, Larsson was hailed by fans and Alex Ferguson alike for his professionalism and attitude.
Larsson was held in such high regard by Manchester United that when they won the Premier League title in 2007 the club managed to get special dispensation from the Premier League to get a winner’s medal for him even though he hadn’t made the required 10 league appearances.
7 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
Hakan Sukur – Legendary Turkish striker Sukur was signed by Graeme Souness for Blackburn Rovers in 2002 having worked with him before at Galatasaray.
Unfortunately a training ground accident left Sukur out of action for the first two months of his six month deal which meant that he only ended up making nine appearances for the club before returning to Galatasary.
9 Premier League Appearances, 2 Goals
Taribo West – The Nigerian defender with the crazy hairstyles was a massive success for Derby County when he signed for them from AC Milan in 2000.
A team that was struggling at the bottom of the league with only seven points from 13 goals were transformed upon the Nigerian’s arrival.
With his defensive skills and experience, Derby won five of their next nine games with six clean sheets which ultimately led to Premier League survival.
West left Derby County at the end of the season because of his high wages and his international team commitments which would have resulted in him missing important games throughout the season.
18 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Roque Junior – Brought into Leeds United on loan from AC Milan in 2003, Roque Junior’s time at the club was disastrous.
During the seven games he played in all competitions, the team conceded 24 goals which has led to him being widely regarded by Leeds United fans as one of their all-time worse signings.
6 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Thomas Helveg – Having amassed over 100 appearances for AC Milan including a Champions League winner’s medal and approaching 100 Danish international caps, Helveg was a huge coup for newly promoted Norwich City in 2004.
Unfortunately Helveg was unable to replicate the form he had shown in Italy and on the international scene and drifted in and out of the squad in various positions throughout the season.
Having shown few examples of his class, Helveg left Norwich City when they were relegated at the end of the 2004-05 season.
20 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Dino Baggio – The 32-year-old Italian midfielder joined Blackburn Rovers at the start of the 2003-04 season on a season loan from Lazio.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Baggio was utilised in a unfamiliar forward role from the substitutes bench in each of his nine Premier League appearances.
Blackburn won only three of the 13 games that Baggio featured in and his uninspiring displays led to the club terminating his loan spell early.
9 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
Christian Karembeu – The French World Cup winning midfielder was signed by Middlesbrough from Real Madrid in 2000 as a player with proven quality.
Karembeu had a slow start to his Premier League career and rarely showed the class that he had exhibited at Madrid and for France in a struggling Middlesbrough team.
Karembeu did improve as the season progressed and chipped in with a couple of vital goals in their relegation battle. However, his long term commitment was always questionable and he was sold on to Olympiakos at the end of the season.
33 Premier League Appearances, 4 Goals
Robert Mancini – Moving to Leicester City on loan from Lazio in 2001 at the age of 36, Mancini was keen to experience the English game before hanging up his boots.
He only made four appearances for the club before returning to Italy when he was offered the Fiorentina manager’s job.
Mancini cites his experience in England at Leicester City was where he fell in love with the English game and played a huge part in his decision to join Manchester City as manager.
4 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Bernard Lama – Arriving at West Ham United at the start 1998 on a short term deal after a ban from PSG for consumption of cannabis, Lama impressed enough for West Ham to offer him a permanent contract.
Unfortunately for West Ham, after France won the 1998 World Cup in which Lama was a squad member he returned to PSG.
12 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Winston Bogarde – Signing for Chelsea after success across Europe with Ajax, Milan and Barcelona, Bogarde’s time at the club is mostly remembered for his refusal to leave the club even though he wasn’t getting selected to play.
Reportedly earning £40,000 a week, Bogarde honoured his contract to the letter and turned up to training every day and played for both the reserve and youth teams. Once his contract expired, Bogarde retired from playing.
9 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Michael Reiziger – Arriving at Middlesbrough in 2004 after a seven year spell at Barcelona, Reiziger’s time at the club was ravaged by injuries and poor form.
Unable to replicate the form he showed at Barcelona, Reiziger ended up returning to Holland with PSV after making only 22 Premier League appearances over two seasons.
22 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
George Weah – Former World Player Player of the year and 90s footballing superstar George Weah arrived at Chelsea in 2000 on loan from AC Milan.
At 33 he was arguably past his best but he revitalised a Chelsea team struggling to find the net with a goal on his debut against Tottenham Hotspur.
Adored by the Chelsea fans, the love affair ended at the end of the season after he helped them to win the 2000 FA Cup.
18 Premier League Appearances, 4 Goals
Pierluigi Casiraghi – The Italian striker arrived at Chelsea in 1998 for £5.4 million with high hopes but was desperately unfortunate to sustain a cruciate ligament in only his 10th appearance for the club.
After 10 operations over the course of the next four years Casiraghi was forced to retire from playing.
10 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
Didier Deschamps – One of the most decorated players in the game, Deschamps moved to Chelsea in 1999 on a free transfer from Juventus.
Although many, including Deschamps’, thought his playing style didn’t suit the English game, his Chelsea team still managed a fifth place finish and the FA Cup in 2001 in his only season at the club.
27 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Marco Materazzi – Long before he gained notoriety for winding up Zinedine Zidane in the World Cup Final, Marco Materazzi played in the Premier League for Everton during the 1998-99 season.
His one season at Goodison will mostly be remembered for his poor discipline although he did show the odd glimpse of class with a magnificent free kick against Middlesbrough.
27 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
Patrick Kluivert – Former Ajax, Milan and Barcelona striker Kluivert arrived at Newcastle United in 2004 with a fantastic scoring record. A strike partnership with Alan Shearer was a mouth-watering prospect for the club’s fans.
Unfortunately, Kluivert was unable to hold down a regular place in the team and was critical of manager Graeme Souness’ reluctance to drop Shearer, even if he was out of form.
Kluivert left Newcastle United for Valencia after only one season after the club decided against invoking an option to sign him for a further two years.
25 Premier League Appearances, 6 Goals
Landon Donovan – Widely regarded as one of the best players to have come out of the US, Donovan joined Everton on loan during the MLS break in both 2009-10 and 2011-12.
Both loan periods were considered a success with Donovan winning Everton’s Player of the Month award in his first spell and chipping in with seven assists in his second spell.
17 Premier League Appearances, 2 Goals
Viorel Moldovan – Coventry City made Romanian international striker Moldovan the club’s record signing when he arrived from Grasshoppers in 1998.
Unfortunately his time at the club was peppered with some less than impressive displays which led to many wondering whether he was playing with too much caution so as not to get injured in a World Cup year.
Fortunately for Coventry City they sold him on a year later to Fenerbahce for a £750,000 profit,
10 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
Fredi Bobic – A prolific scorer at every club he played for, German international Bobic arrived at Bolton Wanderers on loan from Borussia Dortmund in 2002.
Bobic was a huge success at the club and his goals, including a hat-trick, ensured Premier League survival that season.
Unfortunately for Bolton they were unable to tempt Bobic back to the club after his loan spell expired and he returned back to Germany.
16 Premier League Appearances, 4 Goals
Albert Luque – Arriving at Newcastle United from Deportivo de La Coruna for a £9 million fee in 2005, Luque failed to live up to his large price tag during his two year stay.
A mixture of injuries and poor form led to Luque falling down the pecking order and he was never able to regain a first team place under any of the three managers that were in charge of the club during his stay there.
Newcastle United ended up selling Luque to Dutch giants Ajax for £2 million resulting in a £7 million loss for the club.
21 Premier League Appearances, 1 Goal
Adrian Mutu – One of Roman Abramovich’s first purchases when he took over ownership of Chelsea in 2003, Mutu had a flying start to his Premier League career with four goals in his first three games.
This was arguably the highlight of his time at Chelsea because a year later he was out of the club after a fallout with Jose Mourinho and then a failed drugs test which ultimately led to a seven month ban.
27 Premier League Appearances, 6 Goals
Christian Panucci – Signed on a years loan by Chelsea from Inter Milan in 2000, Panucci had a pretty unremarkable time during his time at Stamford Bridge.
The sacking of Gianluca Vialli from Chelsea coincided with the appointment of Marco Tardelli at Inter Milan and Panucci returned to his parent club after only 10 appearances.
8 Premier League Appearances, 0 Goals
Jorge Costa – After a fallout with his manager at Porto, Costa made a surprise loan move to London to join Charlton Athletic in 2002.
Costa’s main motive for the move was to prove he was still worth a place in the Portuguese World Cup squad and excelled in the Premier League prompting Charlton manager Alan Curbishley to try to sign him on a permanent deal.
Unfortunately for Charlton, Costa returned to Porto when the manager he had fallen out with had been sacked and replaced with Jose Mourinho who immediately reinstated him as captain.
21 Premier League Appearances 0 Goals
For more information on what your favourite ex Premier League players are doing now, visit premierleagueheroes.com
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