FORMER Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has revealed that he is selling the house previously occupied by one of his former team-mates – who built a nightclub inside.
The 38-year-old admitted in March that he was at risk of losing his Merseyside home due to mortgage issues.
Although the issue was eventually resolved, Babel has now made the decision to sell the house – which he previously bought for around £1.25million.
Announcing the news on X this week, the Dutchman revealed that he once rented it out to his international team-mate Royston Drenthe, who became a “tennant from hell” and forgot to pay his monthly installments.
He also claimed that Drenthe built a nightclub in the house without permission.
Babel said: “My First Home in Liverpool. After 18 years, I’ve finally cleaned up all the banking drama and the wild tenant stories that came with my very first property.
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“The time has come to pass it on to its next lucky owner.
“This house holds so many memories…it was the first place I moved into after leaving my parents’ home, full of excitement, mistakes, and lessons.
When I left Liverpool, I rented it out to a few tenants… one of them being my good old Dutch teammate Royston Drenthe.
“Let’s just say he gave ‘tenant from hell’ a new meaning… he somehow forgot to pay rent during his Everton days and even decided to build a nightclub inside my house without permission. You can’t make this stuff up!
“Still, I’ve always been proud to own this place…it’s in a prime spot, filled with memories, laughter, and a bit of chaos.
“The only reason I’m selling now is because of that interest-only adjustable-rate mortgage I was talked into back when I knew absolutely nothing about real estate. Lesson learned the hard way!
“Whoever ends up with this house next…I hope it brings you just as much joy (and maybe fewer surprises) as it did me.”
The house is currently valued at £900,000 on Rightmove and has seven bedrooms and four bathrooms.
As well as the nightclub space – which is listed as a dance room – it also has a bar, cinema room, sauna and swimming pool.
Babel spent four years at Liverpool after joining the club in 2007 and made 146 appearances, scoring 22 goals and providing 18 assists.
Meanwhile, his fellow Dutch international Drenthe spent a season-long loan at Everton during the 2011-12 campaign, where he made 27 appearances.
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