Clint Dempsey is looking increasingly likely to leave Fulham following the news that Martin Jol has left the American out of his squad for the club’s first game of the season against Norwich Saturday afternoon.
Despite the fact that Liverpool are yet to make an official bid for the player, Dempsey has made his intentions to leave Craven Cottage clear, and has consequently spent much of Fulham’s pre-season training away from the first team. As the player’s future hangs in the balance, manager Jol doesn’t believe Dempsey is in the right frame of mind to take part in the club’s season opener.
"Clint was not involved over the last four weeks so he is not going to be in the squad,” Jol said, The Guardian report.
“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."
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax manager has grown frustrated with Liverpool’s pursuit of Dempsey, who was crowned Fulham’s Player of the Season after scoring 23 goals for the club last campaign. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has previously disclosed the club’s interest in the American’s services, but no bid has been lodged yet.
“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,” Jol added.
“If you have shown interest in a player, especially in England, you have to follow it up with an offer. They didn't."
It has been thought that Liverpool saw Fulham’s valuation of Dempsey as too expensive, given that he has entered the last year of his contract. But the resolute Jol has explicitly warned the Anfield club that the forward will not be available on the cheap.
“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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