Clint Dempsey made the stunning move from the English Premier League to Major League Soccer after years of playing in Europe for Tottenham and other teams and now he will play for the Seattle Sounders, bringing the best American player in the world home.
Dempsey's move was surprising and an amazing one for the development of the league and he sat down with Sports Illustrated to talk about the move from Tottenham. Dempsey will be getting paid a fancy amount with a three-and-a-half-year, $24 million contract along with a $9 million transfer fee. He now takes his talents to the Pacific Northwest.
Click here for the interview with Dempsey from Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl or for more information on soccer, the NFL or more from Sports World Report.
According to ESPN.com, the Spurs and the Sounders confirmed the deal and Seattle introduced Dempsey on Saturday night to its home fans, who are considered the most loyal and rabid in the league. Some players have compared Seattle fans to the passion in Europe and that was one reason why Dempsey signed, although it likely won't make national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann happy, as he said he wants his players playing against the best competition in the world.
While the MLS is getting better overall, it's nothing compared to the Premier league and now Dempsey will come over after a MLS-record $9 million transfer fee from the Spurs and the team will pay him a record $32 million salary. The Sounders won 3-0 in the match where he was introduced and he will wear a number 2 jersey and will debut at home against the Portland Timbers at the end of August and the Spurs wished the star well in a statement.
Dempsey will now work on his skills for the 2014 World Cup in the MLS and he returns to the league after playing with the New England Revolution from 2004-06, which came before he was solid to Fulham. Dempsey then played for Tottenham and now he is on the move again. Seattle is not afraid to spend and now Dempsey will join his old teammate Eddie Johnson on the squad and he comes after playing for the World Cup teams in 2006 and 2010 and he is second all-time in scoring for the team.
"I look forward to getting on the field and playing in front of some of the best fans in the world," he continued. "I think we'll accomplish some great things here."
"Major League Soccer is thrilled to have Clint Dempsey, arguably one of the best players the United States has ever produced, return to the league to play for the Sounders," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. "Clint could have played in any league throughout the world, and he chose MLS and the Sounders. Our vision is to become one of the best leagues in the world, and we look forward to Clint being a part of that legacy."
