European football: Benayoun, Babel move to Liverpool
{{date|July 12, 2007}}
[[Image:Ryan Babel in club shirt.jpg|thumb|right|Ryan Babel {{Image source|Paul Blank}}]]
{{w|Liverpool FC}} have completed the signings of {{w|West Ham United|West Ham}} midfielder {{w|Yossi Benayoun}} and {{w|Ajax Amsterdam|Ajax}} forward {{w|Ryan Babel}}. The combined fee is approximately [[Euro|€]]24.5 million.

These transfers raise the total to €47 million that Liverpool has spent on transfer fees this off season. Other acquisitions include {{w|Fernando Torres}} and {{w|Andrei Voronin}}.

Ajax rejected the original offer of €14.7 million for Babel, who came out of Ajax' world famous youth system. Liverpool raised the offer to about €17 million, which Ajax accepted as the transfer fee.

Liverpool has been after Benayoun for a while. They acquired him from West Ham for a fee of about €7.5 million.

Benayoun signed a contract that runs until June 2011. Liverpool coach {{w|Rafael Benitez}} has been watching Benayoun since his days at {{w|Racing Santander}} in {{w|La Liga}}.

Benitez went on to say "It's clear he's done this very well at West Ham. Liverpool fans will remember how he played in the (2006) FA Cup final against us when he was outstanding. We thought then this was a player who is capable of stepping up to a higher level."

Babel will sign a 5-year contract on Friday after passing a medical. He admitted that he was easily convinced that Liverpool was the right club for him after listening to what they had to say.

{{haveyoursay}}
==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=560248.html|title=Liverpool make double swoop|author=|pub=UEFA|date=July 12, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=445150&cc=5901|title=Liverpool to sign Babel, Benayoun deal sealed|author=|pub=ESPN Soccernet|date=July 12, 2007}}

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Ryan Babel 
West Ham United|West Ham midfielder Ajax Amsterdam|Ajax forward . The combined fee is approximately €24.5 million.

These transfers raise the total to €47 million that Liverpool has spent on transfer fees this off season. Other acquisitions include Andrei Voronin.

Ajax rejected the original offer of €14.7 million for Babel, who came out of Ajax' world famous youth system. Liverpool raised the offer to about €17 million, which Ajax accepted as the transfer fee.

Liverpool has been after Benayoun for a while. They acquired him from West Ham for a fee of about €7.5 million.

Benayoun signed a contract that runs until June 2011. Liverpool coach Racing Santander in .

Benitez went on to say "It's clear he's done this very well at West Ham. Liverpool fans will remember how he played in the (2006) FA Cup final against us when he was outstanding. We thought then this was a player who is capable of stepping up to a higher level."

Babel will sign a 5-year contract on Friday after passing a medical. He admitted that he was easily convinced that Liverpool was the right club for him after listening to what they had to say.
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