Liverpool have agreed an £11.5 million fee for Ryan Babel, the Ajax winger, who will sign a five-year deal with the Anfield club on Friday.

Babel, who has also been a transfer target for Arsenal, was a leading light in the Netherlands team that won the under-21 European Championships on home soil in June.

He made his full international debut against Romania in 2005, was selected in the 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup finals and has scored four goals in 14 appearances for his country.

The 20-year-old, a product of the Amsterdam club's famed academy, made his Ajax debut aged 17. He had said he was happy to spend another season in the Dutch Eredivisie, but also that he was looking forward to testing himself in the Premiership at some stage.

"I think it's maybe the best league," said Babel. "It's a very high level and there is good football."

Babel will be the third major signing for the Merseyside club this summer, following the arrivals of Fernando Torres in a £20.2 million switch from Atletico Madrid and Andriy Voronin on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.

Reports in Israel today were suggesting that a fourth addition was also imminent with Yossi Benayoun, the midfield player, on the verge of completing his move to Anfield from West Ham.

Click here for a collection of some of Babel's best moments.