• Premier League

Jol: Dempsey wants to leave

ESPN staff
August 17, 2012
Clint Dempsey's contract is due to expire next summer © Getty Images

Martin Jol has confirmed that Clint Dempsey wants to leave Fulham, but said the forward will only be sold if the club receives a suitable bid.

Dempsey, 29, has been at Craven Cottage since 2007 but, with his contract due to expire next year, has signalled his intention to move on this summer and wants to test himself in the Champions League.

The USA international was left out of the club's pre-season training camp in Switzerland amid speculation about his future and will not feature in Fulham's Premier League opener at home to Norwich City on Saturday.

"Clint was not involved over the last four weeks, so he is not going to be in the squad," Jol said. "He is not committed to the club. He wants to leave. I would like to keep him, but I think it's impossible. It's a sad and an almost embarrassing situation."

Liverpool have been the club most strongly linked with Dempsey, with manager Brendan Rodgers having confirmed an inquiry was made.

At one stage, the website for the Massachusetts-based news channel New England Sports Network (NESN), owned by Fenway Sports Group, published a story suggesting the deal was done, but it was removed soon afterwards.

"That was very disappointing," Jol said. "There was never an offer. Clint himself told everyone he was going to Liverpool before he came back, so we really thought there was quite a firm interest in him.

"Even [Rodgers] told everyone he was interested in Clint Dempsey, but our people never had an offer on the table, so it's almost embarrassing. If you have shown interest in a player, especially in England, you have to follow it up with an offer. They didn't."

He added: "Maybe Liverpool will come back. I can assure you that our chairman is strong enough. At first we didn't want to get rid of him, later on we had to change our position - but our view is that we won't let Clint Dempsey go on the cheap, that's for sure."

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