Ranking Newcastle's Dutchmen From The Premier League Era

3) Patrick Kluivert

When the former Ajax, AC Milan and Barcelona forward joined in July 2004 on a free transfer, the entire city was excited by the arrival of the Amsterdam native. With Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy already on the books, the signs looked promising but it was later revealed that the Dutchman was brought in without any input from then-manager Sir Bobby Robson, who was sacked shortly after the start of the 2004-05 season. Despite showing an incredible first touch and some great footwork, Kluivert was often considered to be lazy during his appearances for the club and found his technical prowess at times nullified by the speed of the game but at the same time, his movement inside the box was still top class. The striker bagged 13 goals in 37 games and despite only six of those coming in the Premier League, he presented teams with a different kind of threat to Shearer and Bellamy. Shearer was the big, physical battering ram, Bellamy the lightning quick terrier and Kluivert the technical genius who could trap It was agreed that the two-year deal would end after only one season, with both sides having a get-out clause in the event of a finish outside the top half. Despite ending the deal one year early, there were flashes of the brilliance that made him one of the best in Europe, such as his magnificent back-heel to score against Crystal Palace. His predatory instincts were still there but playing with both Shearer and Kluivert would have left the team too static up front and for the price being paid, the decision to part ways was probably the correct one. A magnificent player, it's just a pity that he was not willing to work for the team, which may have extended his time on Tyneside. Fun while it lasted but you also could file this in the underachieved category.