THERE was a time when the arrival of three internationals on Teesside could only have meant that a charter flight had landed at the airport. Not anymore.

While most of the Premiership squabble over the odds and ends on offer this summer, Middlesbrough have embarked on a spending spree that threatens to upset English football's established order.

Make no mistake about it, this week's events have caused ripples from one end of the top-flight to the other.

Eyebrows were raised when Michael Reiziger became Boro's first summer signing on Tuesday.

The Dutch international had just enjoyed a successful European Championships in which he had helped Holland make the last four.

Seven seasons at Barcelona had seen him establish himself as one of Europe's most reliable defenders, and convinced Valencia to offer him an extended stay in Spain.

But, rather than join the Spanish champions, Reiziger opted to help Middlesbrough try to build on last year's Carling Cup success.

"I always wanted to play in the Premiership and Middlesbrough was the club for me," said Reiziger. "I was flattered by Valencia's interest in me though."

Not as flattered as Boro were when he signed on the dotted line, but that was merely the first in a triple transfer swoop that got more impressive with every stage.

Australian striker Mark Viduka had been trailed by half the clubs on the continent while he was helping Leeds make the last four of the Champions League in 2001.

His stock had fallen slightly last season with the Yorkshire club tumbling out of the top-flight, but most observers remembered the way in which his 13 goals in nine games had stopped them suffering the same fate 12 months earlier.

Barcelona, Juventus and Inter Milan had all shown some interest in the 28-year-old, but Middlesbrough were the only club to put their money where their mouth was in order to seal the deal.

After suffering from a chronic lack of goals last season, Middlesbrough suddenly had someone to put the ball in the back of the net. But they weren't about to finish there.

Steve McClaren's side have been desperately searching for a 20-goal a season striker since 'white feather' Fabrizio Ravanelli fluttered to Marseille in 1997.

So who better to turn to than a player who had broken a similar jinx at his former club?

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink became the first Chelsea player to top the 20-goal mark since Kerry Dixon when he scored 26 times in 2000-01.

The Dutch international will now try to achieve a similar return on Teesside after signing a two-year deal with Middlesbrough yesterday.

Hasselbaink was in and out of the Chelsea side all last season, but he still managed 18 goals - the same as Joseph-Desire Job, Massimo Maccarone and Michael Ricketts put together.

His strike pairing with Viduka will be one of the most mouth-watering combinations in the Premiership.

The sparks seem certain to fly off the pitch, but as long as the fireworks are confined to what happens on it, Boro look set for a successful season.

Just how successful is a moot point, but the club's new signings have made it clear that standing still is not an option.

Reiziger claimed he had moved from Barcelona because he wanted to win things - quite a claim given that the Catalan giants can claim 16 Spanish titles during their illustrious history.

Viduka talked of "realistically aiming" for a Champions League spot, despite next season's UEFA Cup campaign marking Middlesbrough's maiden voyage into European competition.

And Hasselbaink echoed those sentiments when he argued that Boro's current squad were a match for just about any other in the top-flight.

More signings are planned and, while Boro are still a notch below Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, there is no reason why they cannot join Liverpool and Newcastle in the battle for fourth place.

Indeed, given this week's events, there is every reason to claim that Middlesbrough now have the fourth best squad in the country.

Liverpool might have Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen, but they would give anything for the midfield creativity of a Gaizka Mendieta or a Juninho.

Newcastle might have Alan Shearer and Kieron Dyer, but how they would love Gareth Southgate's defensive reliability. And don't even get started on their search for a right back.

Football operates in cycles and teams rise and fall with stark regularity.

Each summer there is normally one club that manages to achieve an overhaul that propels them up the table.

Twelve months ago, Roman Abramovich's Russian revolution turned Chelsea from European hopefuls to championship contenders.

This summer's Riverside revolution has not gone that far. But it has given Middlesbrough every reason to claim that they are English football's new fourth force.