As has been speculated in the media the past few days, it seems as if Clint Dempsey is returning to Fulham. While out celebrating Christmas/the move, German defender Sascha Riether posted the following picture on Instagram:

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captioning it “Welcome back Clint Dempsey” – even adding a filter for good measure.

So it looks like we’ll have the American on our books once again. Responsible for one of the greatest goalscoring feats in recent Fulham history with 23 hit in the 2011/12 season, the loss of Dempsey and Dembele in widely regarded as the beginning of the end of Jol’s reign at Fulham.

What role will he fill though? He’ll only be here until March, when the MLS season will start up again, and playing him would upset the balance of a team which is playing the best that they have done for quite a while, whether it’d be on the left side or behind the striker (he is much more effective on the left, so hopefully there). However, one thing he will definitely add is that predatory touch, an instinct to get in to goalscoring positions – and that spark to create them from nothing too. That’s a touch we’ve been missing, really, since he left, and so I see no harm in the move.

Dempsey has some making up to do too. He left in bitter circumstances, petulance and ego ahoy, before pushing through a deadline day move to Spurs. It’s been pretty much downhill from there, and I wonder if he is another player on a long list to show that the grass isn’t always greener away from Fulham, especially when Tottenham is involved. I wonder if that will play on his mind, and he will be more determined than usual to compensate for his infamous exit.

Either way, if this is to be confirmed, then welcome back Clint Dempsey indeed!

LRCN