Seattle Sounders welcome Clint Dempsey

SEATTLE — In front of a large crowd at CenturyLink Field on Saturday night, the Seattle Sounders introduced their newly signed player, Clint Dempsey.

In an official statement from the organization, Dempsey  will occupy the team’s third designated player spot.

Dempsey, 30, returns to Major League Soccer, ending his six-year spell in English soccer.

From 2004-06, Dempsey played for the New England Revolution before joining Fulham in 2007. He moved to Tottenham last summer and scored 12 goals in 43 games, but wasn't a regular.

"We have reached an agreement with Major League Soccer for the transfer of Clint Dempsey," Spurs said in a statement Saturday. "We wish Clint every success for the future."

Tottenham didn't say what team Dempsey was going to, but reports had him linked to the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders cleared one of their three designated player slots earlier this week when midfielder Shalrie Joseph restructured his contract to no longer be counted as a designated player.

The Sounders’ website asked fans to arrive 15 minutes early to Saturday night's game against FC Dallas for what the club called a "special presentation."

Dempsey, a captain of the U.S. National Team, raved about Seattle when the city hosted the U.S. against Panama in a World Cup qualifier in June.

"It's great to see the game is building and there are markets like this where people have so much passion for the game," he said.

Dempsey will not be playing in Saturday’s match.

KIRO