Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
A familiar face could be returning to Craven Cottage on New Year’s Day.
Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey is set to move on a short-term loan to his former club Fulham when the winter transfer window opens up, according to a report in the British newspaper, The Guardian. Dempsey’s loan is expected to take him from Jan. 1 through late-February so that he has time to return and re-adjust to the Sounders ahead of their season opener on Mar. 8 against defending champions Sporting Kansas City.
The U.S. Men’s National Team forward spent 5 and a half years at Fulham, scoring 50 goals in the English Premier League and helping lead Fulham to a Europa League final appearance in 2010. Dempsey eventually manufactured a deadline-day move in August 2012 to Tottenham but just one year later, he decided to move back stateside and join the Sounders, where he struggled to make an impact in his first three months under heavy expectations.
A number of teams have been reportedly interested in bringing in Dempsey on a short-term loan and it’s been expected that he would look for one, considering that USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has urged his Major League Soccer-based internationals to continue playing throughout the long MLS offseason.
The loan return of Dempsey could be just what Fulham needs as they battle to stave off relegation. The London club have already parted ways with head coach Martin Jol as the side currently sit in 19th place in the Premier League. According to the Guardian report, forward Dimitar Berbatov is unhappy about the sacking of Jol and would like to move in January, making Dempsey’s signing, albeit a short one, of even more importance.
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What do you think of this report? Do you see Dempsey moving back to Fulham on loan? Think he could produce goals at the same rate he did in 2011/2012?
Share your thoughts below.