Dempsey to stay?

[MrFFC]

I actually am starting to believe Dempsey will stay, he has never said that he is unhappy at Fulham he has always been happy at Fulham he just wants Champions League Football which is why i will be shocked if he ends up at Liverpool! I also think Wenger will pursue younger targets than Dempsey. I would love Dempsey to extend his deal and i wouldn't be surprised if he did. What would we all prefer Dempsey to leave for 8-10m or Jol to keep him for another season allowing him to possibly walk away for free?

[Oakeshott]

What most would prefer, I suspect, is for Demps. to stay for the next few years.

[MrCheviot]

If he stays, he won't be extending his contract. Being available on a free will give him more options, and at that point it's not as if he'll owe the club anything. Of course, he risks injury or a lackluster season.. if he think Liverpool can compete for a UCL spot this season, he'll be off. Otherwise given an apparently lack of interest from the continent (Roma rumours aside), he might just see this as an opportunity to cement his status as one of the best midfielders playing in England.

[frogman27]

Morning all,

Although Demps has come out and said he wants Champions League football, I am not sure he is going to get it in the Premiership. There is no way he will get into the Manchester teams, against the likes of Aguerro or Ashley Young. There is an argument to suggest that he could squeeze into the Arsenal set up but as previously posted, he may too old for Wenger's team. That leaves the dark side and that is not going happen. Will he want to go abroad ? I hope that he is settled here in London and that he would rather see out his days at the Cottage and become an iconic figure in our history. 

[MrWhite]

Maybe he's holding out for a QPR bid so he can join a team with some ambition.

[In the Enclosure]

Yeah - they were wetting themselves over there in the belief that Hangerland
might join them - As if !
Have you seen the craphole they have to train on next to the runways by Heathrow ?

They constantly spout how much better they are than Fulham yet live in hope and expectation that they might be able to sign some of our players - sad really

[The Rock]

I really wanted Carroll for Demps even though he might not have fit in Jol's style of play. Happy if he stays as well.

[Jack Fulham]

Still plenty time left but I'm hopeful as none of the speculation so far has been that reliable.

[Berserker]

If i was a betting women, which i'm not,  i'd definitely put money on that Dempsey will leave. We must resign ourselves that it is going to happen and hope for a good replacement

[MasterHaynes]

I think it will come down to how much the US owners of Liverpool think Dempsey will generate in dollars and TV time in the USA and whether it's enough to prise Demps away from us

[HatterDon]

I still think he's gone and I still think that he's going to Arsenal.

[MisfitKid]

Maybe he's holding out for a QPR bid so he can join a team with some ambition.

MW - Laugh of the day!!  HaHa's!!   064.gif

[Jack Fulham]

I still think he's gone and I still think that he's going to Arsenal.

I disagree, don't think Wenger will be able to find space for him when they've got Giroud, Gervinho, Walcott, Podolski, Rosicky and they have to try and nurture Chamberlain and Miyaichi at the same time. On top of that RVP has not left yet but he may do so we will see. Dempsey's age will also count against him and Arshavin is still in the mix.

[Admin]

Well, is it next week Liverpool start their tour of the US? If so, I expect Dempsey to be gone by them so they can perade him out there.

[Wimbledon_White]

Unless he signs a new contract with us I actually think it would be irresponsible of the club NOT to sell him this summer.

In Dempsey we have a player in his prime, playing superbly in the best league in the world! His value will never be higher and as such, if he doesn't sign a new deal, it would stupid not to sell him this summer. It can't wait till January because by then Dempsey will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement for a Bosman move next summer!

So, unless he signs a new deal, SELL SELL SELL!! £8m and I would be happy!

[justinfromga]

Dempsey has made it clear he wants to play Champions League football.  The question I think we need to be asking is how far off from that is Fulham? With what we have right now, where do you project us finishing in the league?  Obviously if things pretty much stand pat from now till after the deadline we should leapfrog Liverpool and Newcastle might come back too.  Make a couple of moves, get a guy like Ruiz to perform like he can, and suddenly Fulham go from being a top 10 team to ranking with a side like Chelsea and Spurs.  With some shrewd moves and some luck why can't Fulham be a Champions League team next season?  And if that's the case, what's to stop Dempsey from signing a new contract with us next summer?

Of course that is a lot of luck and speculation involved there.  It may be in our best interest when it's all said and done to go ahead and sell him and spend the money on a couple of young guys that we can lock up for several years.

[Herbie]

From what has been quoted of Demps, you get the feeling that he really thinks now is the time to make the next step otherwise it may be too late.  Saying that, he has also been been quoted as saying something along the lines of perhaps it's better not to move to a team that may only be in the early stages of the CL and then spend the rest of the season on the bench.

Liverpool offer a good prospect of getting lots of game time, but I think they are a way off in terms of challenging for CL places, when you think that Man City, Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are miles ahead of them at the moment.  I'd be surprised if Demps went to Liverpool as they are still recovering from the trouble in the business side of the club and by the time they recover to challenge for CL places, he may find himself in a situation where he is spending more time than not on the bench.

Arsenal give the prospect of a more immediate chance of playing in the CL, but then there is more risk that he will get less game time and only he knows what intermittent games will do to his confidence.  Was part of his sucess last season due to the fact that if he was fit, he was one of the first names on the team sheet?

I'd be sad to see him leave us, but, if he makes the right choice I would be happy for him as he has served us well and I think he deserves a crack at CL football.  I just hope that if he does move, he makes the right choice.  He has the option of becoming a Premier League great if he stays with us, or rather risking it all by chasing the big pond.

Only time will tell.  I'm surprised there hasn't been more speculation from abroad.

Whatever happens, I'll applaud him the next time he runs out from the Cottage onto the pitch, whether it be for us or someone else.

[Andy_M]

I have heard on the grapevine that although Demps has said he wants Champs League football etc. etc. that he doesn't really want to uproot his family - especially to move up north.

My feeling is he was hoping for a move to Arsenal. If that doesn't materialise and if we make some sound signing I think you may see him renew his contract with the expectation that we are pushing for Europa League spot consistently and not just fighting for a mid-table position.

[frogman27]

Agreed Andy, I think we forget sometimes that footballers are also dads or husbands and that they have a life outside of football. If Demps is settled with his family then it is going to take something fairly special to unsettle his family life. Arsenal would have been that somethiong special but I cannot see him fitting in there, especailly with them signing Podolski.

[Maidstone Al]

SSN saying that we have offered Clint a new 3yr deal with an option of a 4th year , but ' sky sources ' say he does want to sign for Liverpool .  Also says Fulham ' discouraging ' any bids .
Could just be sky's usual ill informed tosh !