Babel agrees to move

SOCCER:LIVERPOOL striker Ryan Babel has agreed a €6.8 million move to German side Hoffenheim. The news comes just hours after manager Kenny Dalglish confirmed the Dutchman would be staying at Anfield for the time being. However, a brief statement on the club's official website last night said: "Ryan Babel has agreed a move to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The Dutch international will fly to Germany tomorrow to finalise the deal."

Liverpool, meanwhile, are expected to make an improved offer for the Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam and are considering their options for a new striker after their pursuit of Luis Suarez stalled over Ajax’s valuation of the Uruguay international.

Adam yesterday handed in a transfer request but will be selected for Blackpool against Manchester United tonight. He is keen to fulfil a boyhood dream by joining Liverpool and his manager, Ian Holloway, says he does not want to stand in his way but is adamant the offer of €4.5 million on the table will have to be significantly improved for business to be done this month.

“I completely understand Charlie wanting to go but he completely understands out position too,” Holloway said. “He loves this club and putting in a transfer request doesn’t change that. There’s no chance of him throwing his toys out of the pram and there’s no chance of me leaving him out of the United game. He’d probably kill me if I did that.”

Holloway confirmed that Damien Comolli, Liverpool’s director of football strategy, had spoken to Blackpool’s chairman, Karl Oyston, about buying Adam but not about increasing the price. It is less clear whether they will do likewise over Suarez. Comolli held a brief meeting in Amsterdam yesterday with Ajax’s general director, Rik van den Boog, where he was told the Dutch club would not consider an offer below €30 million for Suarez. Liverpool are reluctant to pay more than €21 million for the Ajax captain who is keen on a move to Merseyside.

Referring to Adams, Holloway said: “Charlie is our captain and best player – I have never had anyone as good as him, anywhere – and he has 18 months left on his contract . . . The way I see it is that if Chris Smalling is worth £10 million – and he hardly ever plays for Manchester United - and Darren Bent is worth £24 million, an offer of £4 million for Charlie cannot be taken seriously. Liverpool needed to start talks at around four times that amount; now it’s time for them to put up or shut up.”