The Five Dutch Stars Who Have The Most Appearances In The Premier League

David Tully

3 years ago

Categories: Galleries, Manchester City News

Tags: Arsenal, aston villa, Chelsea, Everton, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Southampton, spurs, West Ham, wolves

Following our countdown of the top appearance makers in Premier League history from the Czech Republic last week, we now switch our focus to the Netherlands.

Over the last 50 years, a country of 17m people has produced some of the most talented players to have ever come out of Europe.

Some have even graced English football and the names on this list are certainly well known. All of them had long careers on these shores and were well-loved by the clubs they played for.

Press the next page as we look at the five Dutchman who have made the most appearances of the Premier League era.

5) Mario Melchiot (Chelsea, Birmingham and Wigan) – 284 apps

Injuries meant the fullback had a difficult start when he made the switch to Chelsea in 1999. However, after starring in the 2000 FA Cup final, he established himself as a first-team regular for the next four seasons.

Melchiot made the move to Birmingham in 2004, spending two years in the Midlands before returning to the continent to play for Rennes. He did have one more spell in the Premier League, though, spending three more years at Wigan.

4) Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Leeds, Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Charlton) – 288 apps

One of the greatest strikers in Premier League history, the Dutchman won the Golden Boot on two occasions and only failed to hit double figures in two of his ten seasons in England.

Despite personal accolades, Hasselbaink’s only trophy was the 2000 Charity Shield. The forward was runner up in the FA Cup final with both Chelsea and Cardiff, and he lost in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final with Middlesbrough.

3) Edwin van der Sar (Fulham and Man Utd) – 313 apps

The Dutch goalkeeping legend arrived in England after a failed spell at Juventus, but he quickly put that right with four outstanding years at Fulham.

Van der Sar’s performances led to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson bringing him to Old Trafford in 2005. In his six-year spell with the Red Devils, the Dutchman won the league title four times, as well as being named in the PFA Team of the Year on three separate occasions.

2) Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal) – 315 apps

It’s hard to imagine that the £7.5m Arsenal paid for the striker was seen as a risk back in 1995, but he had just come back off a failed spell in Italy with Inter Milan.

However, it didn’t take long for Bergkamp to show his class. Within three years he had helped win the Premier League title, being awarded the PFA Player of the Year in the process. The forward spent 11 seasons with the Gunners in total, with many regarding him as one of the best players in the club’s history.

1) George Boateng (Coventry, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Hull) – 384 apps

Some may not have expected the midfielder to be at the top of this list but he was a regular starter at four different Premier League clubs over a 14 year period.

Boateng offered dynamism and work rate in the middle of the park, with every manager who worked with him recognising his great qualities.