TYPE “Ryan Babel” into Google and usually the most alarming thing to be found is a video of the winger rapping merrily away in his native Dutch tongue accompanied by the sort of crew that shouldn’t expect a call from Jay-Z any time soon.

But earlier this summer the Liverpool man was given a short, sharp shock when a quick search brought some interesting news on his career – he was heading for Germany.

“The first time I heard about the interest from Wolfsburg was when someone asked me on Twitter if it was true,” says Babel.

“I Googled it and it said the deal was almost done! I didn’t even know anything about it.”

With each summer transfer window comes an avalanche of rumour and speculation – particularly with a club as shrouded in uncertainty as Liverpool – and Babel has been the subject of more than his fair share of conjecture.

The Dutchman was one of the first expected to be seeking pastures new following a season in which the player’s disappointing showing matched that of the team.

Despite Liverpool’s travails and a desperation to force his way into Holland’s World Cup squad, Babel continued to be hamstrung by the frustratingly inconsistent form that has hampered his efforts ever since arriving from Ajax for £11.5million in July 2007.

While the 23-year-old eventually made the trip to South Africa, his playing time was as limited as it had been at Anfield the previous season when he was unable to truly earn the faith of Rafael Benitez or the Liverpool support.

Benitez, of course, is no more. And Babel is hopeful the change of manager in Roy Hodgson will provide the fresh start his career on Merseyside clearly requires.

“I have been through a difficult time for me at Liverpool, but I look upon this year as a new chapter for me,” says the Holland international.

“I am trying to be positive and looking forward. I still have two years left on my contract and I love Liverpool. I am settled.

“If I had the feeling that I have done everything I can here, then maybe I would say that it is time to look at something else. But at the moment I don’t have that feeling at all.

“I feel I can give more and be important for Liverpool. I will try and be successful. I haven’t really spoken to the manager about it.

“He has been busy with players coming back, I think when the transfer window is over then we will try and find the time to sit down and talk about things.”

Possessing the Dutch trait of speaking his mind, there were occasions when Babel did not see eye-to-eye with Benitez. But the forward has already been impressed by the Spaniard’s successor.

“I have been back two weeks more or less and he seems a very honest manager and very direct to the players,” he says. “Everyone knows what he is up to and I like that.

“If I am 100% fit and have the confidence I know that I can have, I think I can have an impact.

“It is a new season so everyone is starting afresh. We have a different staff, different people around us, different training sessions. It is a change and hopefully that will benefit me.”