WHILE recapturing the form which established him as one of Europe's most cultured midfielders, Gaizka Mendieta has provided further evidence that Spanish footballers can cut the mustard in the Premiership.

Mendieta returned to the Middlesbrough first team action in the Premiership's curtain-raiser against Liverpool after spending nearly a year on the sidelines with a career-threatening cruciate ligament injury.

The midfielder initially struggled to find the sparkle which made him a Riverside favourite following his switch from Lazio two seasons ago.

Manager Steve McClaren took him out of the firing line so he could recharge his batteries once more.

But since McClaren moved the Spaniard inside to his favoured central position - from right midfield - he has shown several glimpses of why the Rome club paid Valencia nearly £30m for his signature four years ago.

He was instrumental in the demolition of Manchester United just under a fortnight ago and it was his quality and eye for a pass against Everton which nearly led to Yakubu equalising at Goodison Park.

Spanish players have been few and far between in the Premier League and those who have plied their trade have done so, it would be fair to say, without a great degree of success.

Before Rafa Benitez arrived at Liverpool last season the number of players to arrive on England's shores from the Mediterranean country could be counted on one hand.

Since the formation of the league in 1992 the majority of successful foreign imports in the Premiership have hailed from France, Holland, Italy and Germany.

There is a paradox to this argument. In May Liverpool lifted the Champions League trophy - club football's elite competition - with Spaniards Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia in the side that defeated AC Milan on penalties.

But this success was in European competion.

Liverpool have failed to scale the heights in the Premiership they achieved in the Champions League.

Although Alonso and Garcia have revealed fleeting moments of true class, they, like their fellow countrymen Fernando Morientes, Josemi and Jose Reina, have struggled to find any consistency in the rough and tumble of the Premiership.

Mendieta, however, believes Spanish footballers can emulate the domestic success enjoyed by their French, Dutch, Italian and German counterparts and go one better.

He also revealed why they have been more reluctant to join the Premiership parade than other foreign footballers in the past.

He said: "We Spanish players feel comfortable playing in our own country and in our own customs. I think it is quite similar with the English players as they rarely play abroad.

"We like our league and our lifestyle too much to let that go and go to other countries. The Spanish players don't have that mentality.

"Many other foreign players, such as the French, come because their league is not as strong as the English league. But when you are playing in a stronger league and you are used to your own customs and culture you don't leave.

"Maybe players don't want to leave because the competition in Spain is already tough, so they don't need to leave and prove themselves.

"For me, I went to Italy and I have come to England because I want to sample different cultures but not everyone is like me.

"Morientes, for example, has been in France and England."

Mendieta believes the Premiership has already seen a large increase in Spanish players making the move from the comfort of their homeland, and predicts more will follow because attitudes are changing to sampling life in a foreign land.

"Now more Spanish players are going abroad but it will never be like other countries because we already have it all in Spain," said the Bilboa-born 31-year-old.

"I think more will come because of Rafa Benitez at Liverpool. If you are Spanish and you have a team with a Spanish mentality it will be more attractive to them.

"But I think Spanish players can be as successful in the Premier League as the French players.

"I think so because it is quite similar football.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.