With the transfer speculation surrounding U.S. national team star Clint Dempsey, the latest development involving him and Fulham is sure to raise a few questions.
Dempsey was left off of Fulham's training roster for a preseason camp in Switzerland, reportedly after having talks with manager Martin Jol and agreeing that it is best that he stays in London and continues his preseason with the club's youth team.
Despite reported rampant interest from Liverpool, Fulham has maintained a stance that it won't field transfer offers and that it has not received any for Dempsey, who is entering the final season of his contract with the club. The club also claimed that Dempsey did not demand to stay behind and that it is just a matter of him regaining his fitness. New Fulham striker Hugo Rodallega was also left out of Fulham's trip.
Here are a few more stories to get your day going:
BALE INJURY NOT SERIOUS
Tottenham star winger Gareth Bale was on the receiving end of a rough challenge from Liverpool's Charlie Adam in their friendly in Baltimore over the weekend, but it appears as if he has escaped a serious ankle injury.
Bale has returned to training and is reportedly in contention to play in Tottenham's friendly against the New York Red Bulls Tuesday night at Red Bull Arena despite leaving Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium on crutches after a tackle from Adam that caused him to call the Liverpool midfielder a coward.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas Boas publicly asked Adam to issue an apology to Bale, who has come under scrutiny for playing in general for Tottenham during their North American tour after pulling out of the Team Great Britain Olympic squad because of a back problem.
PUYOL CLEARED TO RETURN
Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has been cleared to return to the playing field following May knee surgery that forced the Spanish defender to miss the end of the 2011-2012 season and the entire Euro 2012 tournament.
Puyol is entering the final year of his contract with Barcelona, the club at which he has spent his entire professional career, which began in 1999. The veteran centerback is also a product of the La Masia academy.
RANGERS OFFICIAL NEW NAME
Rangers Football Club is no more. From now on, it is The Rangers Football Club Limited.
The Scottish club changed its name as part of the move to a new company in the long process of getting out of financial turmoil and building its way back to the top tier of Scottish soccer. The Rangers Football Club Limited is slated to recieved its Scottish Football Association license on Friday that will allow it to commence playing in the fourth tier of the sport in the country. The club already played its first competitive match as a new company in a cup competition on Sunday.
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Are you reading anything into Desmpey being left out of Fulham's training trip? Hope to see Bale play against the Red Bulls? How big of a return is Puyol to Barcelona? Still planning on just calling the former Scottish power "Rangers"?
Share your thoughts below.