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Clint Dempsey was probably one of the hottest properties in English football a year ago. One year after engineering a move to Tottenham to play for a “big club”, Dempsey won’t be playing in England itself anymore. The USA international has decided to return home and join the Seattle Sounders of the MLS after a fee of $9 million was agreed.
A statement from Tottenham today has confirmed the news that Clint Dempsey will be returning to the MLS, where he last played in 2006. Dempsey who had left for Europe for a then-MLS-record transfer fee from Fulham in 2006 joined Spurs a year ago after forcing a move from Fulham. It was at Fulham that Dempsey enjoyed his most successful spell in club football as he went on to win Fulham fans’ Player of the Year award for two consecutive seasons between 2010 and 2012. Dempsey, in 2012, became the first USA player to reach the milestone of fifty goals in the Premier League.
The forward/midfielder returns to the States after a rather lacklustre year for the Lilywhites where he couldn’t find a regular spot in the team, having found the back of the net only seven times for the Londoners in 28 appearances in all competition. That was after he scored 36 goals in his previous two season with Fulham, whom he lead to the Europa League Final in 2010.
The American’s decision is a tricky one at best. He surely would like to be in top shape and playing regular football with the World Cup around the corner. That’s something he probably wouldn’t have got at Spurs, with Tottenham bolstering up their squad even further. Jurgen Klinsmann, USA’s head coach, however, has made it clear in no uncertain terms that he would like his players to play with teams,which the MLS is certainly not.
The big winner out of it all will be the MLS, which now has a growing reputation and adding a flair player like Dempsey(albeit for a reprted sum of $8 million for four years) at his prime will do the league no harm.
