Fulham Forward Ryan Babel Reveals Past Premier League Rejection After Move Away From Liverpool

Fulham forward Ryan Babel has revealed he was rejected by Premier League clubs earlier in his career after being sold by Liverpool.

The Dutchman was brought to Craven Cottage in January to try and help steer Scott Parker's side away from relegation, joining from Turkish giants Besiktas.

After moving away from Liverpool in 2011,, Babel played for six clubs before returning to the ​Premier League - though he has now revealed that he could have returned sooner, had he not been turned down by a number of clubs during his second spell at Ajax.

"I was thinking of ​Tottenham Hotspur, ​Aston Villa, ​West Ham United, then sub-elite clubs in the Premier League," he said in an interview with Voetbol International, as quoted by ​Sport Witness.

"In Germany, Schalke 04, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund are the clubs who would have suited me.

"My agent called all those clubs and the answer was always the same: 'Yes, a good player, but we have three, four other options'. Then I thought: Never mind."

After being sold to German outfit Hoffenheim, Babel never really settled and became somwhat of a journeyman with a return to Ajax, two spells in Turkey and a move to the United Arab Emirates on his CV before Claudio Ranieri signed him for the Cottagers.

With Fulham looking set for a return to the Championship, the 32-year-old will likely become a free agent at the end of the season - though time will tell whether or not he is able to secure a move to another Premier League club.

Source: 90min

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