Clint Dempsey unveiled as newest Sounder, thrilling fans The Seattle Times David Beckham has his eye on Miami Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Silva, Doyle lead the way to win Washington Post Galaxy serves notice with big win over Juve Soccer America Dempsey becomes the MLS' new posterboy BackPageFootball Red Bulls take over first place Soccer America Dempsey, U.S. Captain, Is Returning to M.L.S. to Join Sounders NY Times Bob Bradley, in a divided Egypt, has role expand beyond soccer ... NJ.com New Cosmos win before 11,929 fans Soccer America As DC United looks to its own stadium, Philadelphia's team provides a template Washington Post Official: Sounders sign Clint Dempsey Sounder At Heart United rolls over Impact 3-1 Conor Doyle and Jared Jeffrey each scored their first professional goals to lead D.C. United to a 3-1 victory over the Montreal Impact on Saturday. Montreal gazette Earthquakes' Chris Wondolowski scores twice, leads win over Chivas USA San Jose mercury news From Premier League transfer tug-of-war to MLS in 12 months Here Is The City Sciaretta on why Clint Dempsey is leaving Spurs for Seattle talkSPORT.co.uk Timbers, Whitecaps finish in 1-1 draw after wrestling match of a game oregonlive
Canzano: The heartbeat of the stadium came from the boy from Section 222 OregonLive Red Bulls react to moving atop East with win at KC, having Kimura hospitalized (VIDEO) NY Post Red Bulls top Sporting KC, 3-2; Lloyd Sam records a goal and an assist njsports.com In battle of conference foes, New York Red Bulls beat Sporting KC 3-2 KC Star
Virtually every article I read on the Dempsey transfer states he is in his prime which isn't really true. He has been in prime form but to say a soccer player is in their prime at 30 is a bit misleading but I get it - it is a huge coup for MLS and the fact that he is an American returning to MLS having seen success in one of the best leagues in the world can only lift the leagues prestige and visibility.
Sounders introduce U.S. national team captain Clint Dempsey, pound FC Dallas, 3-0 DFW Juve embarrassment: Galaxy win 3-1 La Gazzetta dello Sport
I would say he's towards the end of his prime. US players, particularly those who went through the college system, tend to age a little bit better than their counterparts from elsewhere due to the lower wear and tear early on. 27-31 would be a good approximation from my perspective. The other thing that no one has really noted: Beckham wasn't that much older than Dempsey is now when he came to MLS. "Old Spice" was only 31 when he joined the Galaxy. He spent a long time here, and got old eventually, but it wasn't like he was ready to retire after a year or two.
Beckham, self admittedly, never relied on pace. He was a set piece taker and long ball kicker, and not much else. Landon is a much fairer comparison. And some guys do hit their stride a little later in life (Magee).
In photos, what a difference a week makes for DC United's Ben Olsen Washington Post Jeff Bradley: Clint Dempsey's return is the biggest shock move in MLS history MLSsoccer
I disagree. I think you can look around at top players, and generally they are still in their prime at 30. There is no magic to round-number birthdays.
And it would have been even more obvious had he not gotten one of this worst injuries in his last game for Real Madrid. Up to that point, the previous two months had looked an awful lot like his prime.
Well that's fine but I think most people would say a soccer player is in their prime between 24 and 30, the round number has little to do with it. I didn't say he wasn't in his prime just that it was a little misleading the way it is being reported since he is on the outer edge of his prime or toward the end of his prime as pack87man put it. Hence the smallish transfer fee for a player of his ability. Of course that doesn't mean he won't be able to play at a high level for a few more years, I'm sure he will and obviously he is better calibre than a lot of the players he is playing against in MLS so that should help his longevity too. Perhaps I am being a little pedantic and I do understand why he is being sold as in his prime. I certainly wasn't trying to undermine what an important signing this was for MLS. I think it deserves all the media attention and it is great for US soccer and MLS. I can't wait for his first game in a Sounders shirt.
As a side question, if this was $9 million, where does this rank in US player history? The only one that beats it that quickly comes to mind was when Jozy left NY. Are there others that I am forgetting?
When they look at it analytically, perhaps so, but I think most people reflexively, before analysis is applied, rate a player who's a month or two past his 30th birthday worse than the same player who's a month or two before it, even where that's not justified. That may be why they sell it the way that they do. That's certainly true, but I think it's worth noting he would have probably expected another season, maybe two at basically top performance before it diminished significantly. Yes, the fee is small, because anyone paying it would understand that they could get anything like the same fee on the way out--it's as if they were paying him salary.
Agreed and I think our only difference is that we view things from a different perspective because I am not American and so perhaps view things with a colder eye. I doubt I would make the same observation if I was in the US. On the last sentence yes and no (mainly no). Very few top level clubs view big signings from a profit/loss scenario in the transfer market. They generate profit through the success that these players can bring them. Thus transfer fees of players generally depreciate because they have less playing time at the top level. A piece of research this year from Coventry University’s Centre for International Business of Sport (CIBS) says Premier League revenues were predominantly spent on wages and amortised transfer fees. Without checking I would expect very few premier league clubs to have made profit in the transfer market.
I honestly don't know but I think the important thing is it is the biggest by far for MLS. Headline making deals like this, bringing talent in instead of exiting the league, have to raise the visibility and regard the league is held in.