Ryan Babel, Liverpool (Getty Images)
According to a report in Bild, Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim have completed the transfer of Netherlands international Ryan Babel from Premier League side Liverpool for a fee of €7 million.
The Sinsheim side were in the market for a new attacker because of the expected departure of Demba Ba, and sporting director Ernst Tanner considers the 24-year-old Babel to be the perfect replacement.
"We needed a striker because of the imminent departure of Demba Ba and the injury to Chinedu Obasi. Babel was the attacker we really wanted and sporting director Tanner is convinced he's the right man for us," said Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp.
Babel is a product of the Ajax youth academy and left the Dutch giants for Liverpool in the summer of 2007. However, the tricky attacker was struggling to get regular first team football this term and therefore wanted to move on.
The forward was also being linked with a move back to Ajax, but he has now apparently opted to join Hoffenheim instead.
Neither club have yet confirmed the transfer on their respective official websites, but the transfer is expected to be confirmed in the coming hours.