Babel told me to join Baggies, says West Brom's new Dutch defender Zuiverloon

Zuiverloon has been close friends with Babel since helping Holland retain the European Under-21 Championships on home soil last summer.  

He sought his guidance before agreeing to move to the Hawthorns in a £3.2million deal from Heerenveen.  

Scroll down for more

Dutch of class: Zuiverloon has boosted the Baggies defence

Now Zuiverloon is relishing the prospect of doing battle with Babel at Anfield in November and in the return next May.   

Zuiverloon said: 'Before I signed for Albion, I spoke to Ryan and he said this was a big step for me - but I will be all right.  

'I played against him in the Dutch League and I always said I was going to play against him in the Premier League one day. 

'I hope I can adapt to the Premier League as well as he has and make a big impression with West Brom.'  

Zuiverloon is Baggies boss Tony Mowbray's fifth capture of the summer but looks set to miss the start of the new campaign.  

He is set to compete for his country at the Beijing Olympics in August.  

Meanwhile, out-of-contract Albion striker Kevin Phillips appears to be edging towards a move to local rivals Birmingham.  

Phillips has spent the last two seasons with West Brom and Mowbray is keen to retain the services of the 35-year-old.  

But Phillips, who scored 24 goals last season, is likely to take up Alex McLeish's offer of a two-year deal.