Wenger: Babel Is A Diver

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With Arsenal due to face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium for the first time since the Merseyside club knocked the Gunners out of the Champions League last season. Manager Arsene Wenger has accused Dutch International Ryan Babel of diving to earn the penalty that ultimately put the Reds through.

Arsenal were on the verge of making it through to the semi-finals after Emmanuel Adebayor equalised to make it 2-2 at Anfield on the night, which would have been enough to send the North London club into the last four on away goals.

However, Babel went down in the area just seconds later, with a penalty being given, which Liverpool scored and eventually won 4-2 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate. Now ahead of their crunch Premiership clash, Wenger is insisting that the Dutch winger dived and that perhaps it was the catalyst that ended Arsenal’s season.

“Perhaps our season died after we played Liverpool in those three games…yes,” said Wenger.

“At home in the Champions League, we had a penalty that was not given. But at Anfield a penalty was given — and that was the result of a dive.

“I can say that because Kolo did not touch him. Overall, we had bad luck and then more bad luck. But it’s part of the quality of the team to deal with that situation and not to allow that to happen.”

However, Wenger has claimed not to be annoyed by Babel, with the Frenchman even conceding that his own players have dived on occasion, with the Gunners boss, who is in favour of seeing video technology introduced once again raising the issue of video assistance for referees.

“It’s difficult to say you are annoyed about diving, because it can sometimes happen with your own players that they dive,” Wenger added.

“It is down to the players and the referee to get it sorted out, maybe with video assistance.

“They are talking about having a referee behind the goal now and that might help. But I am not convinced. Diving has improved, even though I can show you video replays from some 20 years ago when you had some good divers.

“I don’t feel any pain about it now. In football everyone can become crazy, as it never happens how you want it to.”

Juventus To Make Liverpool Double Swoop?

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Serie A giants Juventus are planning a double swoop for unsettled Liverpool pair Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger, with La Vecchia Signora hoping to take advantage of the financial problems at the Premier League club to lure the duo away from Anfield, according to The Mirror.

21-year-old Babel’s agent revealed recently that the Dutch International had wanted a loan move back to former club Ajax, with the winger growing frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities at the Merseyside club this season. Reds manager Rafa Benitez blocked this move, but Babel still remains unhappy at Anfield due to having to settle for a place on the bench this season under the Spaniard.

Agger (left) has also become unsettled at Liverpool for much the same reasons as Babel, with the Danish International falling behind Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel in the pecking order for a place in the heart of the Reds defence. Agger has been handed an opportunity recently due to an injury to Skrtel, but it remains to be seen whether the Dane can hold on to his place when Skrtel returns for the Premiership side.

In addition to this 24-year-old Agger is locked in talks over a new deal at Anfield and is also believed to be a target for AC Milan, who are keen to bring Agger to the San Siro to replace ageing stars Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.

Juve coach Claudio Ranieri has also been heavily linked with William Gallas at Arsenal, with the Gunners interested in his own central defender Giorgio Chiellini. Should Gallas arrive in Turin and Chiellini go in the opposite direction then Ranieri sees Agger as the ideal replacement for the Italian. While, Babel is wanted by Ranieri to replace Czech star Pavel Nedved, who is coming to the end of a distinguished career at Juventus.

With it understood that Liverpool have to sell before they can buy in January, Juventus hope to take advantage by making an offer for the unsettled pair, which could see the duo leave Liverpool, with Benitez needing to raise funds for his own transfer targets next month.

Tottenham To Swoop For £8million Babel?

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is considering a January swoop for Liverpool’s unsettled Dutch International Ryan Babel, with the former Portsmouth manager set to offer £8million to lure the winger away from Anfield, according to the Daily Mirror.

21-year-old Babel is unhappy at the Merseyside club after finding limited opportunities in the Reds starting-eleven since the arrival of Albert Riera at the Premier League club in the summer. This led the Dutchman to ask Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez for a loan-move back to his former club Ajax, but this move was blocked by Benitez, who has insisted that Babel’s future is on Merseyside.

Although Babel has featured in most of Liverpool’s matches this season. Most of them have been from the bench and now Spurs are set to test the resolve of Benitez, who has been told by the American co-owner’s that he will have to sell players before any fresh faces arrive at Anfield in January.

Redknapp has identified the left side of the squad at White Hart Lane as an area that needs strengthening, with the Spurs boss deploying Aaron Lennon on the left wing in recent matches, who is naturally right footed and is understood to see Babel as the solution to that problem.

Whether Benitez is ready to cash in on Babel in January remains to be seen, but with the winger unsettled and not a regular starter, Benitez might decide that selling Babel to Tottenham would raise the necessary funds to bring in transfer targets of his own next month.

Benayoun Joins Babel In Wanting Anfield Exit

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Israeli International Yossi Benayoun has joined Liverpool team-mate Ryan Babel in voicing his discontent about limited opportunities at the Premier League club, with the former West Ham United player revealing that he will assess his situation at the Merseyside club in January or at the end of the season.

Benayoun was unveiled at Anfield on the same day as Babel last summer, but like the Dutchman, who declared that he wished to return to former club Ajax on loan is unhappy at having to settle for a place on the bench under Reds boss Rafa Benitez in the Premiership this season.

While 28-year-old Benayoun understands that it is hard for Benitez to drop anyone from a Liverpool side that is currently top of the Premier League and is prepared to be patient. Benayoun is also, having to consider if his long-term future is at Anfield or whether it lies elsewhere.

Benayoun told the Sun: “The boss had a chat with me a couple of weeks ago after stuff appeared in the newspapers about my future.

“I didn't ask for any talks - he said he wanted to speak to me about it and he just told me to stay calm, because I would get my chances in the team.

“We agreed it was important now for me to put any of my personal feelings to one side and concentrate on trying to keep us at the top of the table.

“There will be time for me to think about my situation in January or at the end of the season.

“So for now I'm happy to put that behind me and focus on doing my bit for the team. The problem for me is the manager is not rotating as much as he used to.

“It is the same 11 players every week, and they are doing so well, so no one can really complain.

“I have to be patient, but I'm still not sure whether, in the long term, my future will be here.”

Latics Sensation Zaki Joins Adebayor & Babel On Real Wanted List?

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Wigan Athletic striker Amr Zaki (below) has reportedly joined Ryan Babel of Liverpool and Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor on the wish list of Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster in January. As the Los Merengues coach looks to bolster an injury ravaged frontline at the Bernabeu.

Real have already lost Dutch International Ruud van Nistelrooy for the rest of the season through injury and have now lost Argentine Gonzalo Higuain, who was injured in Madrid’s La Liga clash with Recreativo Huelva on Saturday.

However, the injury to Higuain is not thought to be serious and is only expected to keep the 20-year-old former River Plate player out of Real’s Champions League tie with BATE this week.

Real were linked with a move for Gunners striker Adebayor last week and earlier on Monday were said to be interested in Liverpool winger Ryan Babel, with Schuster desperate to bring a quality forward to the Bernabeu in January after the loss of van Nistelrooy.

Now Egyptian International Zaki has appeared on the Real radar, with the La Liga giants tempted by the Latics striker, who has been a sensation in the Premier League since his arrival at the JJB Stadium. Zaki is also available to play in the Champions League, which makes the on-loan striker a much more viable proposition than Adebayor or Babel, who would both be cup-tied.

In addition to this Wigan manager Steve Bruce has already revealed that the Premiership side do not have first refusal on Zaki from parent club Zamalek. With the Egyptian club sending Zaki on a season-long loan to Wigan to increase the players value.

With 8 goals in 12 Premier League games, Zaki’s value has surely risen, with Wigan apparently unable to do anything should Real Madrid come to an agreement with Zamalek when the transfer window reopens in January.

Real Lining Up £15million January Bid For Liverpool Star?

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La Liga giants Real Madrid are lining up a £15million bid for Liverpool winger Ryan Babel as the Spanish Champions look to bolster their attacking options at the Bernabeu, with striker Ruud van Nistelrooy ruled out for the rest of the season, according to reports in Spain.

21-year-old Dutch International Babel arrived at Anfield in a £11.5million deal from Eredivisie side Ajax in 2007 and can play as a winger or second striker. Despite making 35 league appearances during his time at the Merseyside club, Babel has made only one start in the Premier League this season and could be tempted to leave the Reds in order to play more first team football.

Despite using Babel sparingly Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is a big admirer of the Dutchman and insists that the Premiership will see the best of Babel this year, with the Spaniard claiming that Babel is still learning the stresses and rigours of the Premier League.

“He's improving and he's working hard and trying to learn and have a proper understanding of the Premier League, and hopefully we will see the best of Babel this year,” Benitez told the Daily Express.

“But he is still a young player and he needs to change some things and he will be better. He knows that sometimes he can be a very good player for us and he is trying.”

However, with it well publicised that Benitez will have to sell players in January before he can bring fresh faces into Anfield. A £15million offer for a Babel, who is not a regular starter, might prove to tempting to turn down for the board at the Merseyside club.