From Associated Press

Dempsey’s record-setting exploits adding to his legend overseas

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20120124/americans-abroad/#ixzz1kP8rXHTS

At the rate things are going, Michael Jackson won’t be the only one with a  statue of his likeness perched outside Craven Cottage in London.

The calendar has yet to hit February, and already Clint Dempsey has already  turned in not just the greatest season of his career, but perhaps the greatest  season any American field player has ever had playing for a club in Europe.  Being able to do so in a matter of five months while playing at a middling  top-flight club like Fulham makes it all the more eye-opening and  impressive.

Appropriately named U.S. Soccer’s 2011 Male Athlete of the Year for the  second time in his career on Friday, Dempsey put forth his greatest feat as a  professional the following day, recording the first hat trick by an American in  the Premier League. The three goals bumped his total to 15 goals in all  competitions (and counting), and Dempsey trails just Arsenal’s Robin van Persie,  Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero in that  category among Premier League players.

He has two hat tricks in three weeks after notching the first one of his  career against Charlton in the FA Cup on Jan. 7, and he has already surpassed  his personal-best total of 13 goals in all competitions that he set last year –  with about four months to spare in the 2011-12 campaign.

After accounting for a Deuce of hat tricks and breaking former Fulham star  Brian McBride’s all-time record for goals in the Premiership by an American (a  running tally that is currently at 42), there are just two more things Dempsey  needs to do to polish off his special season: Break the record of 12 Premier  League goals scored by an American that he set last season (he currently has  nine), and find a way to a UEFA Champions League club this summer to add another  layer — not to mention the potential for silverware — to his growing  legend.

Dempsey has given Fulham everything he possibly can in his five years at the  club save for a top-four finish, one that will never happen anytime soon  considering the spending disparity between the likes of the Manchester and  free-spending London clubs and the lower-tier Premier League teams. From  literally saving Fulham from relegation with a goal against Liverpool in his  first season in 2007, to helping carry the club to a deep run in the UEFA Europa  League in 2010, to setting his own personal milestones, there is not a whole lot  left for the fan favorite to accomplish.

Dempsey, who turns 29 in March and is under contract with Fulham until the  end of the 2012-13 season, has spoken of his desire to compete in the Champions  League, and his transfer value is reaching its peak. His loyalty, work ethic,  hard-nosed attitude and level of production have rewarded Fulham with a heck of  a return on its $4 million investment when the club purchased him from MLS’ New  England Revolution. It is only fitting that the powers-that-be at Craven Cottage  repay the club icon that sports a Texas twang with a well-deserved transfer to a  team that has a need for his services and is poised for Europe’s grandest stage  later this year.

And maybe even a statue someday down the road.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20120124/americans-abroad/#ixzz1kP8Vzawi