Galatasaray's Dutch forward Ryan Babel greets his supporters at the end of the UEFA Champions League Group A football match between Brugge and Galatasaray on Sept 18, 2019 at the Jan Breydel stadium in Brugge. (KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

THE HAGUE - Ajax have attracted Dutch international Ryan Babel on loan for the rest of the season from Turkish side Galatasaray, the soccer club from Amsterdam announced on Saturday.

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Dutch league leaders Ajax needed a striker with Zakaria Labyad and David Neres out injured and Quincy Promes only recently back to fitness. Babel joined Galatasaray last summer, when he signed a contract until 2022.

The 33-year-old Babel, 63-times Dutch international, was born in Amsterdam and went through the Ajax youth academy from 1998 and 2004. He made his debut in the first team on February 1, 2004 against ADO Den Haag. In the summer of 2007 Babel switched from Ajax to Liverpool.

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After a spell at Hoffenheim Babel returned to Ajax for the 2012/2013 season and later he continued his career at Kasimpasa (Turkey), Al Ain (United Arab Emirates), Deportivo La Coruna (Spain), Besiktas (Turkey) and Fulham (England).