The Ryan Babel saga finally seems to have come to a close. After agreeing a move away from Liverpool, Dutch attacker has sealed a switch to Bundesliga club Hoffenheim and has signed a two and a half year deal. Hoffenheim made an offer of about £6 million which was accepted by the Merseyside club. The deal hit a snag when the German club were unable to meet Babel’s demands and it looked as if Babel would continue to warm the bench at Anfield. But, in a surprise turn of events, the German club was able to reconcile with the Dutch forward and he put pen to paper on a permanent deal.
Babel moved to Liverpool from Ajax in the summer of 2007 for a fee of £11.5 million. In his four years at the Anfield club, Babel made 91 appearances and scored only twelve times. Most of his appearances were off the subs’ bench and a move to Hoffenheim would ensure that he gets regular first team football.
Hoffenheim overcame late interest from Sunderland and Fulham to sign Babel. “We are very proud to be able to sign in Ryan Babel an internationally-experienced player from a top club like Liverpool. We are convinced that he is a big gain for us with his character traits and his sporting qualities,” the Hoffenheim manager said on the club’s official site.
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