Jurgen Klinsmann says he'd like to see MLS-based US national teamers like Clint Dempsey go on loans to European clubs in the offseason to stay sharp ahead of next summer's World Cup.
So naturally, wouldn't a short-term spell for his captain back at the English club where he found his breakthrough success fit the bill?
Pump the breaks, says Fulham manager Martin Jol, according to a Monday report in the Fulham Chronicle.
“It’s unbelievable speculation, which is nice," Jol tells the outlet. "I never talk about players, especially when they are not here.”
Dempsey matured into a star during a five-year stay at Fulham after leaving Major League Soccer in 2006. In 224 games through all competitions for the West London club, the former New England Revolution star bagged 60 goals, earning a multimillion-dollar transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in August of 2012.
The two-time World Cup veteran returned to MLS in July, joining the Seattle Sounders. He scored his first goal for the club in Sunday's 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy.
In an interview with USSoccer.com last week, Klinsmann mentioned Dempsey by name as an MLSer who should consider going out on loan this upcoming offseason, saying, "It is very crucial for us that the players understand that everything they do now today has an influence on Brazil 2014 next summer. They can't take it easy."
Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer told reporters last week that the club wasn't yet aware of Dempsey's offseason plans and that “we’ll deal with that in the offseason.”
The Sounders had no comment on Monday's report when contacted by MLSsoccer.com.
Dempsey and the Sounders host the Colorado Rapids in Wednesday's Knockout Round match, the opening game of the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs (10:30 pm ET, NBCSN).
