By Sam Cunningham
Clint Dempsey may have played his last game for Fulham after being ruled out of Sunday’s game against Tottenham with a groin injury.
Everton are leading the chase for the American, who has scored 23 goals in all competitions this season. Arsenal and Liverpool are also interested.
The 29-year-old has been at the club for five years but this has been his best season, overtaking Louis Saha’s club-record haul of 13 Premier League goals in the 2002-03 campaign at the beginning of April.
He has now netted 17 league goals, the fourth highest this season behind Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero. He is the highest scoring midfielder in the country. Dempsey has one year remaining on his contract and the club have offered him a two-year extension to that deal — but he has so far refused to sign it.
Fulham manager Martin Jol insisted that his star player is not for sale and wants to keep his best players to improve on what has been a remarkable season for Fulham.
They could finish seventh if they beat Spurs, an improvement on finishing eighth last year.
The 56-year-old said: ‘Keeping him is in our own hands. There have been no bids for Clint. Over the last couple of years not one. I don’t think he is for sale. He will hopefully be here because I want to keep my best players.’
But the Dutchman, who watched a host of his star players sold when he was in charge of German side Hamburg, says he is bracing himself for interest in the American.
Jol added: ‘You always worry. I feel if we can keep all the players we’ve got now and with one, two, maybe three, additions we can be a very good squad.’
