Top Stories

Dempsey ready for bigger challenges

DempseyItaly (Getty Images)

Clint Dempsey sounds like a man ready to tackle a new challenge. 

Coming off the greatest season of his career and entering the final year of his contract with Fulham, Dempsey opened up about his options and hopes for the upcoming transfer window in an interview with Fox Soccer, and the message is pretty clear: While not outwardly saying a permanent goodbye to Fulham, Dempsey is prepared for the bright lights of the UEFA Champions League and an opportunity at a bigger club.

"After every year I want to keep getting better, and I want to take on bigger challenges, and playing in the Champions League is something I want to do," Dempsey told Fox Soccer. "It was something I wanted a year ago, but it didn’t work out that way. It's something I still want."

Dempsey also addressed having his name constantly in the rumor mill, the current national team camp and how, at 29, he feels he still has plenty of years left on his odometer. If you have not gotten a chance to yet, give the story a read and let us know what you think.

What do you make of Dempsey's comments? Where do you hope to see him land?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Arsenal could use some swagger. Dempsey can bring it. Arteta… not so much.

    But I like Arteta. Don’t get me wrong.

    Both can also play on the wing (tucked in) so Arsene can have some options.

    I’d love this to happen.

    The question is, how much do Fulham want for him?

    Also.. how do the Fulham fans feel about Dempsey leaving?

    Will they give him hell, or will they face facts and realize that he deserves the chance to pursue top flight soccer in exchange for a fat transfer fee that compensates the club appropriately for what they have done for him?

    Reply
  2. RVN retired, bro. I too think he’d excel at Valencia. Duce playing behind Soldado and in front of Banega would be absurd.

    Reply
  3. that’s a good point. there were talks about him going to Spurs, which i think he could be successful at just because of his versatility. he could always find a spot somewhere on the pitch, and they just missed out on CL so they fit into your idea

    Reply
  4. thanks for the facts, wasn’t sure exactly where the finished. either way, a move to Liverpool would not be a step up in my opinion, at this point in Liverpool’s history. Just because they are in the traditional ‘big 4’ does not mean they are currently better

    Reply
  5. 1. Donovan has played a lot more soccer than Dempsey, so a little burnout is inevitable

    2. The comments Donovan made tell me more about LA and MLS than anything. He’s bored.

    That’s obvious. When you are bored at your job what happens? You lose your edge. This sort of thing has happened probably to most athletes. The difference is Donovan is honest about it.

    Everton need to get it together. A highly motivated re-energized Donovan could be very useful to them. And that would certainly help the US 2014 effort.

    Reply
  6. That is good and valid point. Actually, Borussia Monchengladbach, Michael Bradley’s old team, might be a good fit for Dempsey (and Geoff Cameron). The Swiss coach, Lucien Favre, is a genius and has turned the team around into one of the most exciting attacking teams in the Bundesliga. They placed fourth this season, meaning that they have to win preliminary games advance to the Champions League group stage., and if they miss that, at least they will go to Europa League group stage. Gladbach has lost attacking midfielder Marco Reuss to Dortmund and central defender Dante to Bayern. But, in a break from the past where they did not fully reinvest transfer fees, Favre is getting money this summer to bring in players. I bet Klinsmann would love to steer one or two of his USMNT players to Favre, who ended speculation this week and signed an extension but who most believe at some point in the next couple of years will get snatched by a big club.

    Reply
  7. ? Feeling a little trollish on Friday afternoon? 🙂

    I think LDs stint at Everton demonstrates that the current problems in LA are more LAs problems than his.

    Reply
  8. Dortmund is not impossible, given that Shinji Kagawa (13 goals, 8 assists in the Bundesliga 2011-12 season) might likely leave Dortmund for Man Utd. His style is somewhat different from Kagawa, but positionally they are similar. Strangely enough, even though they are both loaded with strong attacking talent, Arsenal and Barcelona could use someone like Dempsey *precisely* because he doesn’t play in the mold of the classic Arsenal/Barca player. Dempsey’s aerial strength and get-stuck-in mentality will complement the qualities of both teams. In several crucial encounters, Barcelona’s poor use of the width of the field — caused by their inability in the air (from Alves’ crosses) — was exposed. Ditto for Arsenal though RvP and Podolski are both quite solid with headers.

    Reply
  9. I wonder how he would do with Valencia? I don’t think Piatti is doing what they had hoped and Jonas is getting old. They may not be able to afford him, though.

    Malaga has the money, and van Nistelrooy is likely gone. They would need RVN to leave, though, or they won’t have a foreign spot for him.

    Reply
  10. Dempsey’s comments about his hunger for the game are in stark contrast with Donovan’s.

    No wonder why one of their careers is on the way up and the other is on the way down…

    Reply
  11. My wish list for new Deuce clubs:

    1. Dortmund
    2. Juventus
    3. Shalke

    I just don’t see EPL team not playing games with him (either in terms of taking half a season to be taken seriously).

    Reply
  12. Arteta plays deeper than Dempsey. Dempsey would be competing with Podolski and Gervinho, or else, less probably, with Rosicky/Ramsey.

    Reply
  13. There styles are quite different–aren’t they? Drogba is an out-and-out target forward, Dempsey more a 10 if not cutting in from the wing.

    Reply
  14. Does not compute. If he joins a team that plays in CL, and he stays healthy and gets the starts, that’s a half dozen or so games at that level.

    I would get pissed if he joins a team that plays in a league that is not covered as much as EPL in the US. Few of us pay for Setanta, FoxSoc+, Gol, etc. Maybe if he plays in the Bundesliga, ESPN would try to get a deal to broadcast his games

    Reply
  15. Yep. He’ll be fighting Podolski for that 2nd striker spot. But Deuce can also play alongside Song – that would make a tough paring. Or, if RvP goes the way of Nasri to MC, then Deuce and Podolski can be an attacking duo, along with Gervinho and whatever talent AW adds to the roster.

    Reply
  16. I don’t think Dempsey pushes Arteta out of that attacking mid role. Arsenal played notably better with Arteta in the lineup and was their best transfer by a mile last year. Dempsey would be on the wing, probably, but Arsenal wingers like to pinch in so maybe that could work to his advantage.

    That said, I’m not convinced Wenger pays that much for him at his age. Arteta was very much an exception to that rule (though I hope he feels keen to do the same for RvP).

    Reply
  17. Liverpool has made some mistakes lately to be sure. Hiring Martinez would start reversing the club’s fortunes.

    Reply
  18. Hmmmm. He’s no Drogba, but he wouldn’t be the worst replacement. They’re actually similar players in that they play similarly — though, Deuce doesn’t have Drogba’s prodigious ball skills and athletic gifts. If Chelsea can’t find better, they could do worse. He could also do well in Arsenal’s system. I could even see him in Man Utd.’s set, as a replacement for Berbatov, but that means sitting a lot.

    Reply
  19. My biggest nightmare would be Dempsey going to FC Bayern. I cannot stand that team and was overjoyed at their defeat last weekend. Anyway, I don’t think Dempsey’s personality would fit with Bayern.

    Schalke would be cool. There has been no fresh news for a couple of weeks on whether or not Klaas Jan Huntelaar will extend his contract. I have a feeling he is waiting to see how much Schalke strengthens the team before he decides to stay or leave. Huntelaar and Dempsey playing off each other with wunderkind Julian Draxler on the left and Jefferson Farfan on the right backed by The Beast–Jermaine Jones, would be fun to watch. Schalke’s defense this season was awful, and they need to strengthen that. Maybe we see Cameron going there.

    Reply
  20. I’d love him to go to Schalke. Champions League soccer and he can be a top dog with Jones and Huntelaar (if he stays).

    With Kagawa gone, him going to Dortmund kind of makes sense, but I think they want Goetze to fit into that slot.

    If those teams gain any traction, then Bayern Munich will not be far behind. They love to come in last and then swoop. But I don’t see him fitting in with those humorless egomaniacs.

    But if Dempsey has to wear red I hope it’s Arsenal.

    If Arsene Wenger hasn’t completely lost his senses he will break the bank for Dempsey. He is exactly what they need. Arteta can be his back up.

    I guess his family likes London so he will give Arsenal and Tottenham preference as the two big teams there. Tottenham aren’t in the CL, but they play like a CL team. And Friedel is there, so that should help their case. But I hope it’s Arsenal.

    I just don’t see the point of going to Liverpool. They’re just not that good anymore.

    Reply
  21. If Chelsea is your team, then you know the competition well. Is there any way that Dempsey could fit in with Man City?

    Reply
  22. There is no question Dempsey wants to leave, the question IS, are any Champs League clubs willing to pay the price for him?

    Reply
  23. “There are things I want to do in my career,” Dempsey said. “And I’m going to do what it takes to make those things happen.”

    Love that quote.

    This is the reason I don’t worry about where he lands. Considering the adversity he’s over come making the jump from MLS to England and routinely having to prove himself to the countless managers….Deuce will fall on his feet.

    And if he doesn’t? He’ll knock someone off theirs and take their place.

    That’s Deuce.

    Reply
  24. I second that desire but We have Mata playing that central attacking midfield role. If he would be willing to (and perform) by moving out wide and have Clint sitting in the middle behind Torres then that would be quite amazing.

    Reply
  25. Most of the CL teams are already fully set, which is why they are CL teams. His best bet is to move to a team thats right on the edge of the CL and help them get better and help them make it INTO the CL. Serie A or La Liga might be his best bet but I don’t know that he plays either of those styles of football well.

    Reply
  26. That is a damn good story. It cannot be any clearer that Dempsey will leave Fulham and he will go to a club that next season will be playing in the Champions League. Would love to see a follow-up to this story listing all CL qualified teams in England, Germany, Spain, France and Italy and then a discussion of each team of how Dempsey might fit in and what the chances are. As for teams I would love to see Dempsey play for, Dortmund would be my overwhelming first choice. The team is overloaded with young talent and locking down a starting slot would not be easy. But after Dortmund’s miserable showing in the CL this past season, Jurgen Klopp probably will rotate more next season, meaning Dempsey would get playing time. Schalke is my second choice, and I think Dempsey would be a starter there. I don’t see him staying in the Premier League, but would love to see him at Chelsea with Torres playing ahead of him.

    Reply
  27. The saddest thing about all this to me is that there is so little parity in Europe that we can easily designate certain clubs as ‘champions leagues clubs’ and not.

    Reply
  28. I don’t see a place for him in the English teams going to the CL. Maybe Serie A, perhaps Milan? I think he’s definitely earned the chance to be tested at that level.

    Reply
  29. i have seen some reports that Liverpool is interested. that would be an absolute travesty and Dempsey definitely shouldn’t even consider going there. they finished (i believe) three points above Fulham and have no chance of offering him Champions League football. he would be much better of staying at Craven Cottage. A move to Arsenal though, would be really nice to see

    Reply
  30. I hope to see him land on his feet. I hope he finds success wherever he ends up. He is a talented player, probably the most talented USMNT player ever. I just don’t want to see the mountain he has built for himself and the world view of US soccer players come crashing down. Best of luck.

    Reply
  31. Im extremely biased but I really hope he ends up with Arsenal. If they can keep RVP, Arsenal seems to be his best option.

    As far as the comments go, I love to hear it. I respect Donovan for being so candid but I love seeing how hungry Dempsey is. He wants to be the best in the world and I love hearing USMNT players display this much drive and ambition. Def transfers over to the national squad.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to ChrisTheLSUTiger Cancel reply