Babel passes medical and signs today

Jul 13 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

RYAN BABEL will today become the third most expensive player in Liverpool’s history by completing an £11.5million move from Ajax.

And Rafael Benitez’s summer rebuilding plans took another step forward last night when Yossi Benayoun signed from West Ham United on a four-year deal.

Babel has passed a medical and will put pen to paper on a five-year deal after the two sides finally reached an agree-ment over a fee for the 20-year-old.

The price tag, which is thought to include a number of add-ons, will mean only new team-mate Fernando Torres and the recently-departed Djibril Cisse have cost Liverpool more, and will take Rafael Benitez’s summer spending beyond the £40m mark.

A Liverpool spokesperson said: “Liverpool have agreed terms with Ajax and Ryan Babel himself and the player will sign a five-year-deal on Friday.”

Babel will receive in excess of £2m of the transfer fee after Ajax agreed he would receive 50% of the difference of any fee above 9m euros.

It’s the biggest fee Ajax have received for any of their youngsters since they received 11m euros for Frank de Boer from Barcelona in 1999.

Highly-rated Babel, who can play on the wing and up front, has scored four goals in 14 appearances for the full Holland national team and starred for his country in their recent European Under-21 Championship success on home soil.

Babel said of joining Liverpool: “I listened to what they had to say and I got a great feeling about the club. I have made a choice with my heart. The coach has big plans for me.”

Babel, speaking in Amsterdam last night, added: “I am at Ajax to say goodbye to everyone, and I must say that’s quite difficult. I think I will miss the fans, the ones that have always supported me, the guys (Ajax team-mates) of course and the coach.

“I certainly leave Ajax with pain in my heart.”

Liverpool have fought off interest from a number of leading clubs including Arsenal for the player, with Benitez having trained his sights on Babel after losing out to Chelsea for the signature of Lyon’s Florent Malouda.

Babel will be unveiled at Melwood today along with Benayoun, who has joined in a deal understood to be worth around £5m.

The 27-year-old midfielder has signed a contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2011, and becomes the third Israeli on Liverpool’s books following Avi Cohen and Ronnie Rosenthal.

Meanwhile, Southamp-ton have taken Liverpool winger Adam Hammill on a season-long loan.

The England U19 player, who had a spell at Dunfermline last season, had also been a target for Scottish Premier League giants Celtic.

Southampton manager George Burley said: “He is a young player who did very well on loan at Dunfermline last season.

“He can play right or left and is a quick player who takes people on, he has bags of potential and I am very pleased to have got him because there was a lot of interest from other clubs.

“Adam is coming to a club with good facilities and good, young players and this is another step for him in his career.”