AMSTERDAM — La Liga powers Sevilla have pulled out of advanced discussions about acquiring Fulham ace Clint Dempsey, MLSsoccer.com has learned, leaving behind a continental crowd still clamoring for his services.
The Rojiblancos decided on Monday that the purse strings must be tightened after being knocked out of the Europa League by Steve Cherundolo's Hannover 96 on Thursday night.
"Our club is not in contact to Fulham for Dempsey," Sevilla press officer Miguel Ángel Gómez, speaking on behalf of club president José María del Nido, told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday afternoon. "[We] will not buy any player in this period."
With Sevilla having publicly admitted defeat, MLSsoccer.com has through multiple sources identified two distinct tiers of suitors that could move for Dempsey before the summer transfer window shuts on Wednesday night.
Aston Villa, Fiorentina and Napoli are all in the running, with AS Roma still in the conversation now that Dempsey's US teammate Michael Bradley is no longer available. Plus, big spenders Paris Saint-Germain could become involved again if other transfer dominoes fall a certain way.
Also on Tuesday, Goal.com claimed that Fulham told Arsenal that Dempsey would cost $16 million and change.
"There have been a lot of incoming calls about Clint," Dempsey representative Lyle Yorks admitted to MLSsoccer.com. "We'll have to see what happens."
The agent confirmed that early summer callers AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund were no longer in the picture. Additionally, MLSsoccer.com has learned that Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen were scared off by Fulham's asking price and that Schalke would likely have gone straight after Dempsey had Jefferson Farfán been sold.
Thus far this term, Dempsey has bagged three goals in five games across all competitions. Since arriving to Craven Cottage from the New England Revolution in 2006, the 28-year-old Texan has notched 34 goals and 14 assists in 148 Premier League outings.
