Former Liverpool winger set to join Fulham on loan

Fulham need goals

In 2018, Fulham became the first newly promoted side in Premier League history to spend £100 million in the summer transfer window. Despite that huge expenditure, they remain in the relegation zone with just 16 games remaining in the season. They have changed manager once, changed formation and line-up almost every week, but nothing seems to be working. While they still need to tighten up at the back, they also need goals. And fast. Aleksandar Mitrović has struggled to recreate the prolific form he showed in the Championship, while the rest of the side are failing to chip in with the necessary goals to dig the team out of trouble. The west London side are now turning to former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel in an attempt to solve that issue. According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Babel is set to join Fulham on a six month loan from Turkish side Besiktas, where he has played since 2017. Babel is 32 now, but remains an important part of the Netherlands' national team and boasts a decent scoring record for a wide player - last season he scored 13 league goals for Besiktas. During his four seasons at Liverpool, he scored just 12 goals in 91 matches, but his experience could be invaluable as Fulham fight to survive in the top flight. Since his time at Anfield, Babel has been somewhat of a globetrotter, playing for Hoffenheim, Ajax, Kasımpaşa S.K, Al-Ain, Deportivo La Coruña and of course Besiktas. And now it looks likely that he will return to the Premier League side for at least six months. Having signed for Besiktas on a two and a half year contract in January 2017, he will become a free agent at the end of this season, meaning Fulham could sign him on a free transfer should the loan spell be successful.