Ryan Babel, the Ajax and Dutch 20 year old winger has today passed a medical with Liverpool FC. The player arrived in the city late last night and undertook his medical at Melwood today.
Liverpool are expected to complete the deal for the player before the end of the week.
The reds are expected to pay around £8 million up front in a deal worth a potential £12 million dependant on appearances and bonuses.
The 20 year old plays on the left wing and places pressure on Harry Kewell. With Gabriel Heinze still one of Rafa’s targets – suggestions in the media are that Newcastle will attempt a move for John Arne Riise.
Babel has moved through the ranks at Ajax to the first team and has scored 14 times in 73 appearances for the first team.
Only last month the player took part in the Under-21 European Championships and was man of the match in the final – a game in which Holland beat Serbia 4-1, Babel scoring twice.
I think that no one would be sold but if so I think that Kewell should go.Knowing that Riise is much more flexible
It’s about time we won the league & with Pennant, Babel, Kewell, Yossi how can we lose..
LIL H, I am under the same impression.. although I’m a wee bit more realistic 😉
Please Rafa – sign Quaresma and the league will be ours.
Getting new players coming in and putting pressure on for positions is great news for the club.
Pennent has developed a great deal in his time at LFC and his work rate in now getting near the level required of him, he needs to work on his final pass or cross and he could become a great LFC player.
As for Kewell how can he be “doing really well” at the asian cup when theres only been 1 game in which he and viduka failed to put pressure on Oman’s defenders only a late tap in from Cahill sparred Australia’s blushes.
Id prefer to see Gerrard having more freedom to move around in the middle of the park with mascherano providing cover for him defencively.
Cant wait for the season to begin.
Just to outline my point:
Kuyt/Voronin Torres/Crouch
Babel/Kewell Gerrard/Alonso Mascherano/Sissoko Pennant/Yossi
Finnan/Arbeloa Carragher/Paletta Agger/Hyypia Riise/Aurelio
Reina/Carson
How much stronger is that from last season?
Saying Gerrard will be our right winger next season is just wrong. I think Pennant plays that role much better than him anyway. And its clear that Gerrard excels in the middle role.
Also, I’m very pleased with the signing of Ryan Babel, and yes Benitez is most probably thinking of using him primarily for the left wing – but is it realistic to expect an inexperienced, 20 year old, to land us the title next season? I think not.
I will be severely disappointed if this is our last signing in for the forward line. I think Quaresma would add great pace, trickery and another dimension to our attack, and would definitely go straight into the first team. Similarly Simao would fit the bill but is slightly older.
So to sum it up, I still believe we need 1 more world class winger, a right back, good cover for Jamie and Agger, and a top right back.
Our signings have been great, and yes finally we are being linked with big names and splashing big bucks to land our top targets. But lets not forget the moves that Chelsea and Man Utd have made in the transfer market.
Undoubtedly we have improved our squad with Torres and Babel. Unfortunately I see Benayoun as a direct replacement to Luis Garcia, and I can’t see Voronin being a star for us, simply a squad player (and it kills me that he got the #10 shirt). So which of these players will go straight into our first team? Torres definitely, Babel probably. Other than that… I just don’t see it happening.
Is this enough to close a 21 point gap on Man Utd, who are also adding to their already championship winning squad with names like Tevez, Hargreaves, Nani, and Anderson.
I think LFC will be unrealistic if they think the current signings will even bring us closer to the top two next season, let alone challenge in any way.
I just read on the LFC website that the owners are no ruling out one more sign by Rafa… hmmm!
I hope its Quaresma he’s definately worth a punt, he can add much needed dimension to our play and allow Gerrad to play in the middle.
As for Kewell I think we should keep him, he has the quality and it seems to be doing really well in the Asia cup.
kewell is liverpool through and through, and we’ll see what he does in the asia cup.
gonzalez has got youth on his side…why not keep him? his performances havent been great, but they havent been dire either, and he’s got pace in abundance.
i havent seen much of babel, but what i have seen shows me that he’s better as a striker, so if rafa has bought him as a winger, it may prove to be a bad move, anyone remember what happened with diouf and cisse on the right wing??? excactly.
i think kewell will leave b/c he didn’t use the clube as exepected so bobel will fully repelace him
Central Midfield – Alonso, Mascherano (Sub: Sissoko, Benayoun).
Right wing – Gerrard (Sub: Pennant).
Left Wing – Babel (Sub: Kewell, Riise).
Riise cannot be sold. He is one of the best players in the team and a sure starter. Benitez may play one striker in the ‘hole’ and Benayoun/Voronin/Babel may fill that position depending on the players on the flanks. Still we could use a world-class right-winger.
Go Pool!
Brilliant News!!
Come on boys, this is the season!!
Alves is going for 15m plus a player(arbeloa would be good for this). I don’t know why we would let a world class player who wants to join us and would bless the first team for years to come, slip through the net. If the yanks are serious, they need to fork out for this guy. He is as good as it gets.
He can replace finnan/pennant.
both kewell and riise are great player the club need them to win the premiership, so neither of them will be sold as simple as that
Pennant is an amazing player on the right flank.
We cannot lose Riise who has been such a solid player for us over the last few years whether he plays left back or left wing he is a strength we really cant afford to lose.
Kewell has been a liabilty since we bought him and has never been an Anfield strong hold, please lose this man before he runs off the pitch with another injury!! No professional footballer should wanna run off the pitch the year we win it and 2 years later not do a thing to help….
This years signings have been fantastic anfd Harry Kewell should be no part of it!!
i think liverpool should sell kewell while they still can because his contract will end soon and we cant take a chance on him.
Liverpool will sign a another winger Simao or Quaresma hopefully Quaresma cause hes an amazing player
“All we have for that position is Pennant. Scary.”
Gerrard?
Yossi the Israeli will compete for the right wing, cant see Quaresma coming I think it was a typical misdirection ploy
And what about Quaresma?
Surely we need a right winger still or has everyone forgotten that?
All we have for that position is Pennant. Scary.
Gonzalez is also on the move so Kewell will definitely stay.
great signing he will be, gonzalez will b the player that leaves, liverpool wouldnt get rid of riise as he is a great player and can play left back or left wing
I don’t think anyone will be sold. Aureillo is out for a few months yet. Heinze will be cover for Agger/Carragher and Riise until he is fit. Kewell will stay as we have released Zenden.
Kewell is the one that will be sold. Riise is more flexible than Kewell and Kewell is too prone to Injuries.