Abu Dhabi: Former Liverpool and Dutch international winger Ryan Babel said he was upbeat about his move to Al Ain, following his media introduction at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium late on Thursday.
“I understand that a lot people in Europe are sceptical about this move by me but I’m a sensitive person. I choose based on my feeling and not what other people think,” Babel said, who switched loyalties from Turkey’s Kasimpasa.
“My feeling about Al Ain was very positive, was very good, and if my feeling wasn’t like that I would never have come,” added Babel, who has signed a two-year contract.
Babel went on to add that he had done thorough ‘research’ about Al Ain and on the Arabian Gulf League.
“I’m very pleased to be here, it’s an honour for me to join this team. In these past few weeks, I did my research about the league and the team and I must say I was very, very impressed, especially with the images and the clips I saw from last season, in celebrating the championship, etc,” Babel said. He will be filling in the void left by Slovak medio Miroslav Stoch, who was on a one-year loan from Fenerbahce.
“Hopefully, I can also be part of the success with this team — and hopefully at the end of the season lift another trophy,” added Babel, who started his career with Ajax in 2004 before spending over three years with Liverpool from 2007.
However, with the Premier League side, he didn’t make a significant impact and in 146 appearances (81 as a substitute) scored 22 goals. Babel then moved to Germany’s Hoffenheim in 2011 but later was back with Ajax and after spending another year with them shifted to Kasimpasa. In two seasons in Istanbul, Babel scored 14 goals in 58 matches in their league. It is also learnt that Al Ain is in talks with Vasco da Gama’s Felipe Bastos to complete their quota of foreign recruits — which apart from Babel also comprises Ghanaian star Asamoah Gyan and Korean Lee Myung-joo.