As the Premiership has evolved into a lucrative big money beast, so the foreign superstars have come to discover a 'lifelong' dream to play in England. Wild horses may not have had the power to drag them here 10 years ago, but now we have a whole new ball game.

Reading manager Steve Coppell and Liverpool's homegrown Steve Gerrard this week voiced their concerns at the effect importing foreign stars is having on developing our own homegrown talent.

There is a school of thought that blossoming English talent can flourish alongside the game's global superstars. But if you thought the grass was always greener, here are a few Premiership imports which may change your mind.

1 ALI DIA - arrived at Southampton in 1996 with an endorsement from George Weah (well, Dia's agent posing as Weah), who claimed he was Dia's cousin. Dia somehow convinced manager Graeme Souness he was a Senegalese international striker. He wasn't - but Dia was signed and brought on against Leeds. After a gloriously inept 53 minutes he was brought off again, and 14 days later his contract was cancelled.

2 BOSKO BALABAN - Aston Villa signed the Croatian striker for almost £6m in 2001. A more realistic price would have been 60p. Balaban scored precisely no league goals for Villa and made less than 10 appearances in two years.

3 JEAN-ALAIN BOUMSONG - A radio commentator said Boumsong 'looked more like a Newcastle fan whom had won a competition to play for the club he supports rather than a professional football player'.

4 ANDREA SILENZI - Signed for £1.8m by Nottm Forest in 1995, Silenzi earned a then-whopping £30,000 a month. He was so bad that halfway through his first season, he lost his first-team place to Jason Lee, was loaned to Venezia, and when told to return by Dave Bassett, refused. Forest tore up his contract. Silenzi scored just two goals for Forest.

5 SEAN DUNDEE - In 1998, Karlsruhe were relegated from the Bundesliga, their star forward, Sean "Crocodile" Dundee, scoring just three times. These facts did not deter Liverpool manager Roy Evans from splashing out £2m for the German international. Dundee is regularly cited by Liverpool fans as the worst player in the club's history and made just three substitute appearances.

6 WINSTON BOGARDE - Chelsea's Dutch defender insisted the club honour his contract, reportedly worth £40,000 a week, even though manager Claudio Ranieri didn't want to keep him. Bogarde made 11 appearances in four years at Stamford Bridge. Poetic justice then that no club would touch him after he left in 2004.

7 TOMAS BROLIN - Leeds United manager George Graham paid Parma £4.5m for Brolin in 1995. The Swede turned up at Elland Road looking out of shape and made just 19 appearances in two years. He returned for a final Premiership fling at Crystal Palace in 1998, but after 13 appearances, was made assistant manager to Attilio Lombardo. Palace were duly relegated.

8 CLAUS LUNDEKVAM - Southampton boss Gordon Strachan paid this glowing tribute to the one-paced Scandinavian in 2003: "He was carried off at Leicester and someone asked me if he was unconscious. I didn't have a clue. That's what he's always like."

9 MARCO BOOGERS - The arrival of 'Mad' Marco Boogers for £1m from Sparta Rotterdam in July 1995 was just one of several misjudged West Ham imports by Harry Redknapp. Coming on as a sub against Manchester United in only his second appearance, Boogers was almost immediately red carded for a horror tackle on Gary Neville. He promptly disappeared, discovered several weeks later hiding in a mobile home in a Dutch caravan park. The debacle eventually ended in a loan deal and subsequent free transfer to Groningen.

10 STEVE MARLET - Fulham paid £11.5m for Marlet in 2002, one of the worst deals in Premiership history even though he wasn't an awful player. Fulham loaned him to Olympique Marseille in 2003 but were forced to pay his wages until 2005, when his contract was finally cancelled.

But what of our footballers heading the other way? To finish here's Liverpool and Wales legend Ian Rush's cosmopolitan description of playing in Italy: "It was like being in a foreign country."

Can you think of any right royal stinkers? Let us know!