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Clint Dempsey rejoins Fulham on loan

By on December 24, 2013

Fulham have announced their resigning United States captain Clint Dempsey on a two month loan from Seattle Sounders.  The American will rejoin the Cottagers after leaving in 2012 during the American Major League Soccer winter off-season to keep up his fitness levels, much like how Thierry Henry signed for Arsenal last year.

The 30-year-old left Fulham for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2012 after making 184 appearances over a five year term at Craven Cottage.  However, Dempsey moved back to the US to wind down his career over the summer, but with the World Cup looming on the horizon Dempsey is keen to gain some more international exposure in the Premier League and keep his fitness.

A statement on the Fulham website confirmed the two-month deal, reading: “Fulham Football Club is delighted to announce the two-month loan signing of Clint Dempsey from MLS side Seattle Sounders FC. The 30-year-old midfielder returns to Craven Cottage having first signed a permanent deal for the Club in January 2007 from New England Revolution.

“During five-and-a-half seasons at Fulham, Dempsey scored 60 goals in 225 appearances. Arguably the most memorable of his strikes was the fourth goal in a 4-1 victory against Juventus in the UEFA Europa League which completed a dramatic comeback over two legs en route to the inaugural 2010 Final.

 

“Dempsey also scored the only goal of the match against Liverpool at Craven Cottage in May 2007 which secured Premier League football for the Whites the following season.

“He was voted Fulham’s 2011/12 Player of the Season by the fans for a second consecutive term before signing for Tottenham Hotspur in August 2012.”

However, Dempsey will not be eligible to play in the Premier League until January 1st, when the winter transfer market opens.  Yet Dempsey said he will be is prepared to play when needed.

“The idea right now is just to keep working on fitness,” Dempsey said. “My family will leave on the 26th, on Boxing Day, to go back to the States and then I’ll be over here and I’ll be with the team, just continue working hard trying to make sure that when I am able to play, I’ll be playing at the highest level possible.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.