Former Liverpool striker admits he wanted Spurs switch

Former Liverpool striker Ryan Babel has revealed that he wanted to join Tottenham Hotspur earlier in his career.

The Dutch international joined Premier League strugglers Fulham in January from Turkish side Besiktas.

Babel told the Dutch media he left Anfield in 2011 to further his career with the Netherlands national team, but in hindsight admits it was a mistake.

The 32-year-old admitted that after an unsuccessful second spell at Ajax, he considered Spurs as a potential club to try and get his international career back on track.

Babel’s agent made contact with Spurs, along with a number of other clubs including West Ham United and Aston Villa but revealed that it was met with rejection.

Should Fulham look set to return to the Championship at the end of the season, it is likely that Babel will once again be without a club with the Cottagers expected to cut their wage bill.

“I was thinking of Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, West Ham United, then sub-elite clubs in the Premier League,” Babel said, as reported 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.”