Fulham striker Ryan Babel has been a bright spot for Fulham since joining in January, returning to the Premier League eight years after departing and displaying positive two-way contributions for the Whites despite their confirmed relegation to the Championship.
The 32-year-old now says he will leave the club at the end of the season, with the hope of staying in the English top flight.
While Babel says he’s enjoyed his time at Fulham and is grateful for the opportunity for Premier League redemption, his hope of making the Euro 2020 squad with the Netherlands will see him look to remain at the highest level.
“I am at the stage where I have to make the right decision for my family and the future,” Babel told reporters.
“I have enjoyed playing back in the Premier League and I need to play top-flight football next season to be playing at the the Euros if we qualify.
I still think I have two or three years ahead of me and of course if I have the opportunity to stay in the Premier League, that would great.
Staying in the Premier League would be my first choice.
” Since joining Fulham in January on a short six-month contract, Babel has been a regular in the Whites starting lineup, starting all 13 league games and contributing four goals and three assists, including three goals over the last five matches.
He scored a goal and assisted another in the surprise win over Everton two outings ago and is enjoying playing under interim manager Scott Parker.
“I think the intensity of being a team without the ball has changed,” Babel said of the play under the new boss.
“Fulham have been playing pretty well all season with the ball but without the ball was the problem.
We were conceding, in my opinion, easy goals, and now it is two clean sheets so something has improved.”
One natural link for Babel to stay in the Premier League could be Newcastle.
Current boss Rafa Benitez signed the Dutchman back in 2007 at Liverpool, and while there is speculation about Benitez’s immediate future at the club, should he stay there could be interest, with English tabloid The Daily Star already making that connection.
Babel will likely be one of many changes at Fulham this coming summer, with young Ryan Sessegnon also likely to leave the club as the Whites’ front office looks to contend with the fallout from last summer’s failed transfer market where the club spent over £100 million mostly on flops.
