The Dempsey and Dembele to Spurs thread

[DCHeather]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7778376/?

Clint Dempsey could be set to leave Fulham after admitting he remains desperate to play in the UEFA Champions League.

The American striker enjoyed a hugely impressive season for the Cottagers, scoring 23 goals for the club in all competitions.

Fulham have offered Dempsey a new deal to stay at the club for a seventh season, but the 29-year-old has suggested his time at the club could be coming to an end.

He told Sports Illustrated: "I am grateful for everything Fulham have done for me.

"Some of the best memories I have in soccer have been there, but the fact remains that I want to play in the Champions League. I want to play at the highest level possible.

Opportunities

"I want to do as much as I can in my career and look back and say I made the most of all the opportunities I have had.

"I am always going to want to play in Champions League. It is something I have never done. I would like to test myself at that level.

"That way I can look back and say, 'Hey, I gave it a go. Either I was good enough or I wasn't good enough."'

Dempsey added: "If I wanted to be comfortable, I would have stayed in Major League Soccer, because I would have been closer to my family and friends, and I would have been used to the way of life.

"I am a risk-taker. I want to throw myself in the deep end and see if I can swim."

My hope is sinking.

[jimsig]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7778376/?

Clint Dempsey could be set to leave Fulham after admitting he remains desperate to play in the UEFA Champions League.

The American striker enjoyed a hugely impressive season for the Cottagers, scoring 23 goals for the club in all competitions.

Fulham have offered Dempsey a new deal to stay at the club for a seventh season, but the 29-year-old has suggested his time at the club could be coming to an end.

He told Sports Illustrated: "I am grateful for everything Fulham have done for me.

"Some of the best memories I have in soccer have been there, but the fact remains that I want to play in the Champions League. I want to play at the highest level possible.

Opportunities

"I want to do as much as I can in my career and look back and say I made the most of all the opportunities I have had.

"I am always going to want to play in Champions League. It is something I have never done. I would like to test myself at that level.

"That way I can look back and say, 'Hey, I gave it a go. Either I was good enough or I wasn't good enough."'

Dempsey added: "If I wanted to be comfortable, I would have stayed in Major League Soccer, because I would have been closer to my family and friends, and I would have been used to the way of life.

"I am a risk-taker. I want to throw myself in the deep end and see if I can swim."

My hope is sinking.

UGG!

[JackCaz]

Did you have that much hope to begin with, Heather?

It's most disappointing because there is such a good core right now and we're about to sell the base out of that.

[DCHeather]

Did you have that much hope to begin with, Heather?

It's most disappointing because there is such a good core right now and we're about to sell the base out of that.

You always have to have hope, life is miserable without it. My hope lies in the fact that he is a smart player and he's said before he isn't just going to jump onto a Champions League team if it means he sits on the bench or if it seems like the team is just going to play a couple of Champions League games and are done. Any team can be bounced in group stages, and he realizes that. And now he seems more willing to take a risk in seeing what happens regardless and that doesn't bode well in him staying at all. So that's why I had some of my little hope in him staying dashed. Fulham are not going to let him go for free next year, so it's sign a new contract or adios for Mr. Dempsey.

[DCHeather]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dc ... story.html?

Dempsey in the Washington Post

The end of the regular season this month ushered in the “silly season,” when rumors of player movement trump royal family gossip in the British tabloids.

Arsenal? Liverpool? Another country?

“I’d be flattered if it were all true,” said Dempsey, who is trying to shake off a groin strain before the U.S. friendly against Brazil on Wednesday night at FedEx Field. “You can’t believe all the speculation.”

What you can believe is this: Dempsey wants, someday soon, to play for a club competing in the Champions League, Europe’s ultimate club competition featuring the titans of the Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A, among others.

He is entering the final season of a Fulham contract that pays him $3 million annually. Fulham gained promotion to the Premier League 11 years ago and is reliably competitive, but the chances of the Cottagers ever qualifying for the Champions League with a top-four finish are distant.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play Champions League and push myself to the highest level possible,” the midfielder-forward said. “I’m not saying Fulham won’t ever get there, but I’m 29 years old now and I only have a certain number of years left to play at the highest level. Hopefully, that is in the cards.”

Fulham’s best card might be to sell him for a handsome transfer fee this summer before he is free to leave next year.

...“When you get to England, you have a year like I had last season [12 league goals] and this season, you feel you can go even further,” he said. “I want to push the limits. You don’t know what you can do until you take those steps. You hope for it, the dream of it.”

With major clubs circling, the dream might be realized this summer.

[DCHeather]

http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/footbal ... 06624.html

With the £30million transfer of Eden Hazard all but secured, Chelsea are now ready to turn their attention to another Belgian international, with a serious interest in Fulham’s Moussa Dembele.

The forward, often employed in a midfield role over the course of the past season, is rated at £10million, and fits the bill as the kind of player Roman Abramovich wants to bring to Chelsea.

His current manager Martin Jol is reluctant to lose him, but knows it would be difficult for the 24-year-old to resist the advances of the current Champions League champions.

This has been proved by Dembele’s reluctance to sign a new deal at Craven Cottage, and with only one year remaining on his contract, now could be the time for the Cottagers to cash in on one of their prize assets.

Manchester United have also displayed an interest in Dembele, though their priority signing would appear to be a more natural midfield playmaker, as opposed to a reverted striker in the mould of the Belgian.

He could however, prove the first in a string of high-profile names to exit the club this summer, and Fulham know they will be hard-pressed to find suitable replacements for their outgoing attackers at affordable prices.

American forward Clint Dempsey, who scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, is expected to join Arsenal, with a will to play Champions League football prevalent in the 29-year-old’s ambitions.

Dempsey too has just one year remaining on his current contract, and the Cottagers will likely accept bids to avoid losing the imposing USA international for nothing next summer.

Andy Johnson is another forward set to leave Craven Cottage meanwhile, after a refusal to sign a new Fulham deal has left a host of clubs clambering for his signature.

As opposed to taking up an offer elsewhere in England though, Johnson appears primed for a move to the United Arab Emirates, in which astronomical salaries are the norm, particularly for players with past Premier League experience.

[DCHeather]

http://www.clubcall.com/manchester-unit ... 34493.html?

Fulham's Moussa Dembele has refused to discuss speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United this summer.

The 24-year-old £10million-rated Belgian playmaker has attracted interest from a host of clubs this past season with the likes of United, Premier League champions Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all thought to be vying for his signature in this transfer window.
Red Devils' chief Sir Alex Ferguson was said to be in the driving seat as he looks to sign a long-term midfield replacement for Paul Scholes, who recently agreed a new 12-month deal at the club after coming out of retirement in January.
And, while Cottagers boss Martin Jol is desperate to keep hold of Dembele, who joined the Londoners after helping AZ Alkmaar lift the Dutch title in 2009, he could be tempted to offload him as he is about to enter the final year of his contract and would be able to leave on a Bosman free transfer next year.
However, when quizzed about a potential switch to Old Trafford or any of the other Premier League big guns, Dembele was keeping his cards close to his chest.
Ahead of Belgium's friendly international against England on Saturday, he said: "I know that there is interest from bigger clubs from the Premier League, but for now it is Fulham.
"Manchester United? Sorry, but I cannot say more about that at this time."

[jumpkutz]

MD starting up front against England.

[jumpkutz]

Looks like Moussa's being disposessed by Gerrard and Welbeck led to the game's only goal. Oh well, maybe Fergie was watching???

[VegasJustin]

The Daily Mail says that Liverpool could sign Dempsey for as little as £4m. This is the second paper now that has quoted that price. I would be beyond pissed if that was the price.

[DCHeather]

Yeah, that seems as likely as Dempsey going to Everton for roughly the same price. Why would he go there? And why would Fulham get so little for him? Might as well hold onto him for a another year for that price.

[DCHeather]

http://www.london24.com/sport/chelsea/a ... _1_1397889?

Fulham star Mousa Dembele is ready to quit the Whites and move to fierce rivals Chelsea, where he can replace Frank Lampard, according to his agent.

The 24-year-old Belgian has attracted the attention of the Blues as well as Manchester United after impressing in the last two years at Craven Cottage.

“It fits Mousa’s ambitions perfectly to become the replacement for someone like Frank Lampard one day, just as playing in the Champions League does as well,” agent Rodger Linse is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

[VegasJustin]

Apparently we offered him a four year deal worth £10m. There was some tweets suggesting he wants to stay. That doesn't sound like a helluva lot for a player of his quality. That would be MLE quality in basketball, adjusting for money differences and all of that.

[DCHeather]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7794048/?

Dembele keeps Fulham focus
Dembele happy at Craven Cottage amid transfer speculation

Moussa Dembele admits he is flattered by links to Chelsea and Manchester United but is in no hurry to move on from Fulham.

The Belgian international, who started against England on Saturday, moved to the Cottagers in a £5 million switch from Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar in August 2010.

His performances for Fulham have seen him linked with summer moves to Chelsea and United and the playmaker is honoured by their reported interest.

"Of course, it's normal - they are big teams," said the 24-year-old.

"But I'm very happy at Fulham, so I'm not in a hurry.

"In the end, we will see what's good for me."

[DCHeather]

http://www.clubcall.com/everton/fulham- ... 35619.html?

Everton look likely to miss out on the services of Fulham's Clint Dempsey because they can not match the wages on offer elsewhere.

The 29 year-old Fulham striker is out of contract next summer and that has alerted the likes of Liverpool and local rivals Everton to his availability but sources close to the Dempsey camp have indicated that Arsenal are likely to win the race for his signature.
Everton are the only club who could realistically hand Dempsey a guaranteed starting spot, but they can get nowhere near the wages that are being talked about and are now ready to turn their attention to Norwich's wantaway striker Grant Holt instead.
The American international is settled in London and although he is intrigued by the idea of a switch to Liverpool, under new boss Brendan Rodgers, he would prefer not to uproot his family.
Dempsey, who scored 21 goals last term, will hold further talks with Cottagers manager Martin Jol in the coming days, but it's understood Fulham now want £5m because of the amount of interest in their forward.
The target man currently earns a reported £40,000 a week at Craven Cottage and Arsenal are prepared to increase it closer to £75,000 a week to steal a march on Liverpool.

And is that the only reason Everton are set to miss out? Me thinks not.