Eyüpspor forward Ryan Babel has revealed he was once close to joining West Ham United, before pulling out of the deal when he realised it would be a permanent move.
Babel is currently playing for Eyüpspor in Turkey following a move from Galatasaray in the summer, the latest step in a varied career.
He started his career in the Netherlands with Diemen Youth before joining ASV Fortius and then Ajax, where he worked his way up the youth ranks into the first team before moving to Liverpool in 2007.
He spent four unsuccessful years at Anfield and then moved on to TSG Hoffenheim, before another spell with Ajax and periods with Kasimpasa, Al-Ain and Deportivo de La Coruña.
A return to the Premier League beckoned, although not to West Ham, in 2019 when he joined Fulham from Besiktas, but he would only stay in the Premier League until July, departing for Turkey once again.
In total he has managed 107 appearances in England’s topflight, with a tally of 17 goals and nine assists over his time at Liverpool and Fulham.
Neither of those worked out particularly well for him but it appears things could have been very different, as he revealed he was once close to West Ham.
“I have been very close to a transfer to West Ham United,” he told Soccer News.
“There was concrete talk of a swap deal for Carlton Cole, but it didn’t quite go according to plan. I was told it was on loan and that I would return to Liverpool later.
“But on transfer deadline day I found out that West Ham would buy me, and I didn’t want that at all. Besides, my business manager was not aware of that either.
“When push came to shove, my business manager and I decided not to do it, so the transfer did not go through.”
