100 best Premier League foreigners

Dennis Bergkamp Swiftly labelled “a waste of money” after failing to score in his first six games for Arsenal, the Dutchman soon made gutter-worthy red tops change their tunes. For 11 years he glided around north London as if from another planet, consistently dropping jaws – including those of his team-mates. Nigel Winterburn offers the insider's perspective

Premier League Our next batch of expats includes five Arsenal stars and Newcastle's trumpet-wielding hero

Didier Drogba After a slow start the Ivorian powerhouse thrived in England, where his bullish style married technical ability that twice helped him win the Golden Boot. But the striker was about more than just goals – he grew into a hugely respected dressing room leader who came to embody a ruthless Blues side. Former winger Damien Duff recalls his early days

Premier League Newcastle were on the outside peering in where the Premier League title was concerned in the summer of 1995, but the arrival of a twinkle-toed Frenchman from PSG helped the Toon Army come closer to realising their ambitions than ever before. Former room-mate Warren Barton remembers the silky charmer

Premier League Sure, football didn't begin in 1992, but there's little doubting what a major yardstick it is for English football. Since then the Premier League has welcomed players from 105 countries outside of the British Isles, so many of whom have influenced more than just results on the pitch. Here, we begin our celebration of them

Premier League Our list rumbles on as we celebrate two of the top flight's finest-ever Africans and a pair of flying Dutchmen

Premier League Our approach towards the top 20 includes a brilliant Brazilian in north-eastern climes, two famous adversaries and maybe – just maybe – the coolest Premier League player ever? 

Premier League Into the top 20 we go – and now we're getting iconic. But who's just missed out on our top 10 imported aces? 

Premier League The Frenchman was eventually treated to quite a few better superlatives than the “thinking man’s Carlton Palmer” accolade he was greeted with after his Arsenal debut in 1996. On hand with more is former Gunner Stephen Hughes, who watched with awe as his new team-mate arrived from Milan to help kick-start a new era in north London

Premier League Moving on up with four ex-Chelsea heroes, one half of a famous Premier League duo and arguably the division's greatest-ever header of a ball