Ryan Babel looks like he will be leaving Liverpool, as the Liverpool offcial website said that the Merseyside club have accepted a bid from German side 1899 Hoffenheim for the Dutch winger, and that Babel has travelled to Germany to discuss personal terms:
“Liverpool FC this afternoon announced they had accepted a bid from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for the transfer of Dutch international Ryan Babel.”
“The Bundesliga Club have now been given permission to discuss personal terms with the player, who has travelled to Germany.”
The Hoffenheim owner, Dietmar Hopp said:
“Following the departure of (Demba) Ba and the injury to (Chinedu) Obasi, we were in an emergency situation. Babel was one of the prime candidates who our general manager Ernst Tanner was most convinced about.”
The player, who was bought for a fee in excess of £10 million in 2007, will reportedly cost Hoffenheim 7 million euros, which is around £5.8 million – a financial loss of roughly £4.2 million. The Dutchman dissappointed at Anfield, scoring 22 goals in 146 appearances and not fulfilling the massive potential that it was thought the 24 year-old had.
Babel had spoken to some media sources which quote him as saying he would be willing to be involved in a swap deal that could bring Liverpool target Luis Suarez from Ajax to Anfield:
“The transfer of Suarez to Liverpool opens the door for me to go to Ajax. If Liverpool and Ajax – whether in combination with Luis – can reach an agreement over me I will surely come to the club.
“For the chance to play I am willing to settle for far less pay. For a player of my age it is important to be playing week in week out.”
Playing “week in week out” was something that Babel was unable to do in his time at Liverpool, as he struggled with inconsistencies and was unable to create an opening in the Liverpool team for a regular first team spot.
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Submitted by DBSFootball
