Babel set to join Spurs

Ryan Babel is to sign for Tottenham Hotspur from Liverpool in a beat-the-deadline £10 million transfer, according to ESPNsoccernet sources.

The Holland forward is now heading to north London, when he was previously expected end up in east London as a makeweight for a deal that would take Carlton Cole to Anfield.

But Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has intercepted Babel and instead of taking a helicopter ride to Upton Park, is now heading in the direction of White Hart Lane.

Redknapp earlier had seemingly made it clear that he would not be buying anyone, insisting that while there might be possible loan deals going out of White Hart Lane, he expected that no major signings would be coming in.

When it became clear that talks were ongoing for Babel to go to West Ham in part-exchange for England striker Cole, for whom the Hammers have also turned down a £9 million bid from Liverpool, it appears that Tottenham changed their mind on a quiet final day to the transfer window.

West Ham's inability to find a replacement for Cole means that they felt unable to accept a bid for their leading striker.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.