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Babel agent makes future claim
Liverpool, 11:50, June 11, 2009 ,
Ryan Babel is desperate to stay with Liverpool and fight for his place in Rafa Benitez's starting XI, according to his agent.
The Dutch international winger has been restricted to mainly substitute appearances since he moved to Anfield from Ajax in an £11million transfer in summer 2007. And, following rumours that Benitez could be willing to offload him this summer, Babel's agent has spoken out to confirm that his client wants to stay on Merseyside.
Winnie Haatrecht said: "Ryan is very happy at Liverpool and clearly doesn't want to leave.
"He still has a three-year contract."
If Babel, who made a substitute appearance for Holland on Wednesday, is to stay on at Liverpool, Benitez is looking for him to make the step-up to the first-team on a regular basis next season.
The player only made 13 starts last term while he notched up nine goals from the substitutes' bench, and Benitez told the Daily Post: "Ryan has done well as an impact player, which is not easy when you are young, but we think he can do more than that.
"Our view of Ryan is a player who starts games and has an impact from the beginning. But first of all he has to improve tactically."