Clint Dempsey Reportedly Chased By Aston Villa, QPR And Stoke City For Loan Spell

Seattle Sounders star Clint Dempsey is believed to be on his way back to the Premier League for a loan spell during the off-season in the MLS, according to a report published by the Mirror Online,

The clubs in question, believed to be interested in bringing the American playmaker into their respective squads, are thought to be Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa and Stoke City. With both QPR and Aston Villa really struggling to stand out creatively at the moment, it is unsurprising that a player of Dempsey’s quality is being linked with a move.

Dempsey is one of the highest achieving American stars to have made the switch to the Premier League, having stood out during his time at Fulham. He made his mark as a truly gifted playmaker who moved with the times, fitting into the very modern role of a No. 10 or false nine forward role. Dempsey was key in Fulham’s road to the Europa League final in 2010 and later earned a move to Tottenham Hotspur despite significant interest from giants Liverpool.

In the aforementioned piece, journalist Darren Witcoop suggests US National team manager Jurgen Klinsmann endorses a move abroad for Dempsey in order to stay fit, stating “We want Clint to remain sharp and play in a competitive environment.”

Dempsey did actually return to England last winter during the MLS off-season with then manager Rene Meulensteen hoping the former club star could not only give his current crop of players a sizable boost, but also contribute significantly on the pitch with the Cottagers fighting relegation at the time.

These rumors do come at an inopportune time for Dempsey’s current club, the Sounders as the Seattle side are preparing for a run in the MLS play-offs. In order to calm the waters so to speak, Dempsey’s agent Lyle Yorks yesterday spoke with MLSsoccer.com and confirmed that as of yet there was no move in place at all for Dempsey, “The rumor that broke about Clint going on loan is completely false and inaccurate,” Dempsey’s agent, Lyle Yorks, told MLSsoccer.com. “There have been no discussions to that effect. Clint’s immediate focus is the playoffs with Seattle.”

This may be the absolute truth or it may be a ploy on Dempsey’s agents’ part to calm the speculation with Seattle about to face the play-offs, however given the history of MLS stars using the off-season to join a club on loan to remain fit and playing in a competitive environment, as well as the needs of the clubs in question, it wouldn’t be at all a surprise to see Clint Dempsey back in the Premier League sooner rather than later.