10 Greatest Foreign Premier League Players Of All Time

7. Eric Cantona

In terms of the influence a player has had on a club during the Premier League era, Eric Cantona's at United is right up there. Leeds made the horrendous decision to sell the Frenchman to their bitter rivals in November 1992, and it was evident straight away that Ferguson had a real gem on his hands. He was big, strong, superbly creative and a leader. He became captain at Old Trafford in 1996, following Steve Bruce's exit. He came up trumps in the big games, and was a huge reason for United winning back-to-back titles in 1992/93 and 1993/94. In 92/93, they were lagging behind Norwich and Aston Villa during the first half of the season, but his arrival swung the title race in his side's favour. At the end of 93/94, Cantona's two penalties helped United beat Chelsea 4-0 in the FA Cup final. The Frenchman's long-term ban in 1994/95, for his infamous kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan, was a big reason why United lost out to Blackburn Rovers in the title race. He was inspirational the following year, and his winning goal at Newcastle in a massive game helped Ferguson's men lift their third Premier League trophy in four years. Cantona was an enigma at times, but while some of that ilk fail to deliver regular brilliance on the pitch, the Frenchman was consistently excellent. His decision to retire at the age of just 31 shocked many, and United had to wave goodbye to one of their greatest ever players.