da cassino online： With the AC Milan star on his way to St. James' Park, GOAL grades the most famous – and infamous – Italians to have played in England since 1992
da esport bet： There is no denying that Italy has played a hugely influential role in the development of the Premier League. In recent years, coaches such as Claudio Ranieri, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte have been responsible for title wins and tactical trends that changed the English game.
Before that, players like Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli and Paolo Di Canio improved the standard of play in the Premier League, adding a combination of quality and character, as well as an international flavour, that helped transform the competition into the global brand that it is today.
However, not every Italian has made such a positive impact. Below, GOAL grades the most high-profile Italian players ever to ply their trade in the Premier League, running through all of the greatest hits, and most miserable misses…
GettyGianfranco Zola
A massive hit, the biggest of all, in fact. Zola isn't just one of the best signings Chelsea have ever made – he's one of the best in Premier League history. The diminutive, fleet-footed No.10 won seven trophies during seven seasons at Stamford Bridge, including the Cup Winners' Cup, and was also named Football Writers' Association (FWA) Player of the Year in 1997. Just a true Premier League legend. Verdict: HIT!
AdvertisementGettyGianluca Vialli
Vialli may have been past his very best, but the striker still made a monumental impact at Chelsea, first as a player, and then as a coach. Indeed, he was very much part of the first wave of superstars to play in the Premier League, and he scored 21 times in 58 appearances before hanging up his boots in 1999.
By that time, though, he had already won the League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup as Chelsea's player-manager, having succeeded Ruud Gullit at the helm. He would spend four years in west London in total and his recent passing was meant with devastation among a fanbase that will forever adore Vialli. Verdict: HIT!
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Ravanelli announced himself to the Premier League in sensational fashion in August 1996, scoring an opening-day hat-trick against Liverpool. The former Juventus forward would go on to net 31 times in all competitions, as Middlesbrough reached the final of both domestic cup competitions. However, they won neither and were also relegated from the Premier League.
Ravanelli, therefore, couldn't wait to quit the Riverside, having repeatedly complained about the facilities, the standard of training, the quality of English football and Middlesbrough itself. So, while the £7 million ($9m) signing may have lived up to his billing on the field, he ultimately proved more trouble than he was worth. Verdict: MISS!
GettyBenito Carbone
May not have made quite the same impact in England as former Sheffield Wednesday team-mate Paolo Di Canio, but Carbone is still fondly remembered by many fans because of some of the magical goals he scored during his three-year spell at Hillsborough. A subsequent switch to Aston Villa didn't go well, and he quit the Birmingham-based club after a solitary season, but there were some more memorable moments during his time at Bradford City.
Carbone clearly wasn't the easiest character to manage and it felt like he was always at loggerheads with his employers, but the little forward was a joy to watch at times. Verdict: HIT!