Liverpool Football Club News

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Babel's Ajax hope rejected

09 Dec 2008 - 12:53:44

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Ryan Babel's agent has revealed that the Liverpool winger has failed in an attempt to return to Ajax on loan.

The 21-year-old moved from the Dutch side to Anfield almost 18 months ago in an £11.5million switch but has grown frustrated with his lack of first-team starts so far this season.

His agent, Winnie Haatrecht, told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: "Ryan sits on the bench too much. He wants to play more and asked me to see if Ajax were interested in a temporary return.

"After we got an enthusiastic reaction from Ajax, we asked Liverpool but the club don't want to see him go.

"Rafael Benitez finds Ryan too important. Hopefully we will see that in more playing time.

"Let's be clear - Ryan feels great at Liverpool, but for him to develop further he needs to get playing time."

Babel played in Saturday's 3-1 win at Blackburn but that was only the Dutchman's second Premier League start of the season.