‘I was Liverpool star who made it to World Cup final – I dreamt of Arsenal but it didn’t happen’

Ryan Babel enjoyed four years at Liverpool after joining the club in 2007, but the Dutchman has admitted he would have loved to play for the Reds’ rivals Arsenal

Ryan Babel has revealed that despite relishing his Liverpool stint, he harboured aspirations to move to Arsenal.

The 37-year-old winger carved out his early career with Ajax from 2004, netting 24 goals over 111 games until Rafael Benitez lured him to Anfield in 2007. Dutchman Babel had a four-year stint in Merseyside, although silverware eluded him throughout his tenure there before he then took off for Hoffenheim.

After a solitary season with the German side, he made his way back to Ajax, followed by stints at various clubs including Kasimpasa, Al Ain, Deportivo, Besiktas, Fulham, Galatasaray, and most recently, Eyupspor. While Babel has shared fond memories of his Liverpool days, he also explained in a chat with Instant Casino that a potential Arsenal move was always on his mind.

When asked about any past Gunners links or offers, he explained: “The rumours were there, the news articles were there, but Arsenal never officially reached out. There were a few teams that reached out, like Juventus, like Inter, and Liverpool.

“Eventually with Liverpool I had the best feeling. They were very consistent. They gave me the energy that they really wanted me. I’m a sensitive person when it comes to feeling that I’m really wanted, and Liverpool made me feel wanted. To join Arsenal, there were already a few Dutch players playing there, but the interest was not that real.

“It just stayed as a lot of rumours and articles.” Babel also shared that a transfer to Arsenal would have been ideal for him, as he grew up idolising the Gunners. He continued: “I grew up as an Arsenal fan, so it would have been a dream to play for Arsenal, but it didn’t happen.”

Despite delivering standout performances at Anfield, Babel didn’t manage to secure any trophies during his four-year tenure with Liverpool. He netted 22 goals and provided 18 assists for the Reds in a total of 146 appearances across all competitions, sharing the pitch with stars like Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Jamie Carragher.

Yet, from 2007 to 2011, Liverpool’s best Premier League finishes were fourth, second, seventh, and sixth, in that order. Nevertheless, Babel did experience triumphs with other teams. The forward celebrated two Eredivisie titles, KNVB Cups and Johan Cruyff Shields with Ajax, bagged a UAE Super Cup with Al Ain, clinched a Super Lig title with Besiktas, and won a Turkish Super Cup with Galatasaray.

He also reached the final of the 2010 World Cup with the Netherlands, where his team were eventually defeated 1-0 by Spain at Johannesburg’s Soccer City. Andres Iniesta was the game-changer for Spain 116 minutes into the final, a match in which Babel remained on the bench.

Despite not playing in the tournament’s conclusion, Babel – who retired last month – was awarded a runners-up medal for his contributions during the group and knockout stages of the competition. After making a mark at U17 to U23 level for his country, the Dutchman earned 69 caps for the Netherlands, netting 10 goals in total.

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