Ryan Babel reveals long list of clubs who rejected him | OneFootball

When it was announced that Ryan Babel had made a Premier League return with Fulham during the January window, there were more than a few eyebrows raised.

Despite massive skepticism, the 32-year-old has enjoyed a successful PL comeback, scoring twice and adding three assists in nine Premier League matches.

Speaking to Voetbol International, Babel named a long list of clubs who rejected him as he attempted to bounce back from an unsuccessful Ajax spell in 2013.

“I was thinking of Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, West Ham United – then sub-elite clubs in the Premier League.

“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.”

Babel would end up in Turkey at Kasımpaşa and saw his career go through the UAE and Spain before a successful stint at Beşiktaş allowed him to return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence.

Babel has been called up to the Dutch national team every single cycle since October 2017 after not being named since November 2011.