Clint Dempsey is one of America's best soccer players, and the fact that he is coming back to the MLS speaks volumes about the league's continued improvement.

Dempsey was recently announced as the newest signing for the Seattle Sounders, who bought the midfielder's rights from Tottenham of the English Premier League.

Brooks Peck of Yahoo Sports compared it to winning the lottery.

"MLS as a whole and Seattle Sounders fans in particular won the lottery with a ticket they didn't know they bought when Dempsey was announced as the club's newest and biggest signing."

It wasn't exactly the Powerball jackpot, but Dempsey's return is a very big deal for the league.

Having one of the U.S. Men's National Team's biggest stars back on American soil is a boon for the league and for American soccer fans.

Too many of America's best players are spending their club seasons across the pond in Europe. Jozy Altidore, Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley are among the American stars currently making a living overseas. Goalkeeper Tim Howard has also spent the past 10 years in the English Premier League, where he is currently the starting keeper for Everton.

Dempsey decided to buck the trend, leaving some to question his decision. In an interview on NPR earlier this week, Stefan Fatsis questioned Dempsey's decision.

"It's a fair question, and it's one that a lot of soccer fans, myself included, have been debating. There's this feeling of disappointment that our best player won't be showing the world how good Americans can be."

But Dempsey's return to America should not be viewed as a failure, but as a symbol of Major League Soccer's growing success.

Last May, Dempsey became the first American-born player to record 50 career goals in the English Premier League. He ends his EPL career with 57 goals in 179 appearances, according to soccerbase.com.

Dempsey had two more years remaining on his contract with Tottenham of the EPL. He could have easily stayed in England and continued to build upon his record-setting legacy there, but his decision to return to the United States speaks volumes about the league's continued improvement, something Dempsey touched on in his his press conference (full video can be found at SeattleTimes.com).

"I want to come back when I'm in my prime and not past it to help continue the growth of this league...The league is changing. It is growing. Fans are coming to the games. The quality of soccer on the field is better."

After floundering financially in its early years, Major League Soccer is in a period of growth, both in terms of fans and credibility.

The MLS has attracted foreign stars like David Beckham, Thierry Henry and most recently, Robbie Keene to continue their club careers here in the States. All three were major stars in Europe, and each of their signings gave added gravitas to the league.

As big as those signings were, Dempsey's return is even bigger.

Bringing America's best export back to the league where he got his start does more for the league's standing than any of those other signings because it shows that the MLS is not just a stepping stone to Europe for American players.

Make no mistake, MLS will never be the English Premier League. It will never be on the same level as the German Budesliga, Italian Serie A or Spanish La Liga.

But as Clint Dempsey showed, Major League Soccer can be more than a stepping stone. It can be a destination.

Qwest Stadium in Seattle will be packed with 67,000 fans for Dempsey's home debut on August 25, according to Steve Davis of NBC Sports' Pro Soccer Talk.

The Sounders themselves are a symbol of the league's continued growth. In its debut season in 2009, Seattle led the league in attendance, averaging 30,942, according to the Sounder At Heart blog. It has continued to grow in the four years since, peaking at 43,144 last year.

That helped the league set an all-time record last season, according to the MLS website, averaging 18,807 fans per game with more than 6 million in total attendance. 

According to the same article, MLS beat out France's Ligue 1, the Chinese Super League and the Dutch Eredivisie to record the seventh-highest attendance for soccer leagues worldwide.

The growth can continue if America's top players choose the MLS as their home.

Signing Dempsey is a great start. He offers instant name recognition from his time on the Men's National Team and should provide a boost in ticket sales wherever the Sounders go the rest of this year.

Major League Soccer has come a long way since its infancy. Five years ago a player like Dempsey would have never considered a return to MLS.

But with the strides the league has made in attendance and international standing, Dempsey may be the first of many great Americans to choose to play their home games on American soil.

The MLS is not a joke any more. It is a truly a Division 1 league, one that continues to improve every year, and one that every American kid should aspire to play in.

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Clint Dempsey still possesses the talent necessary to succeed in the English Premier League, which is the main reason his move to the Seattle Sounders was a surprise. Voluntarily reducing the level of competition in the prime of his career opens the door for critics.

Instead of getting ready for the new EPL campaign with Tottenham, he's now preparing for his debut with the Sounders as Major League Soccer enters the stretch run of its regular season. He's walking into a completely different atmosphere.

While the weekly expectations are undoubtedly high in England, Dempsey is actually going to face more pressure following the move. That's because he will expected to crush the competition as the new focal point of Seattle's attack.

Although the club will probably try to alleviate some of that attention by working him in slowly, there's no reason Dempsey should do anything other than dominate in the MLS. He should be the best player on the pitch in virtually every match.

Anything less would be a disappointment. He's not a role player anymore. He can't deliver a couple highlight-reel strikes and still have value to the club. The United States national team's captain must lead the way for the Sounders.

So far, things have gone according to plan. Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times reports Dempsey has dazzled in training, especially during finishing drills. But his role for Saturday's match against Toronto remains unclear as he searches for peak fitness:

Dempsey is far from 100 percent, however, heading into his expected debut Saturday in Toronto. He is recovering from an illness that forced him to miss practice Tuesday. He’s also still working on fitness since his previous club, Tottenham of the English Premier League, is in preseason.

The Sounders don't want to see their newest prized asset pick up a serious injury right out of the gate. Getting him involved off the bench for a couple weeks until he gets up to full speed is probably the right way to go, but only time will tell what head coach Sigi Schmid decides.

Once Dempsey is ready to go the distance, the next task will be getting on the same page with Eddie Johnson. The American internationals should help form one of the league's most fearsome attacking duos, but it takes some time to develop chemistry. And all this time adds up.

From getting into elite match fitness to finding his strides alongside a new set of teammates and all of the subtle nuances that come with a transfer, Dempsey faces no shortage of hurdles. Yet, he will be expected to produce immediately. The longer it takes for him to start playing at peak form, the more questions will arise about his decision to return stateside.

The other thing to consider is the World Cup, which is now less than a year away. Near the end of cycle, most players are looking to move to Europe in order to bolster their credentials. Dempsey is making the opposite move.

Although his roster spot is secure, manager Jurgen Klinsmann will be just like everybody else, sitting back and expecting Dempsey to dominate. If he doesn't, lineup decisions become tougher with Jozy Altidore back on the rise and Landon Donovan returning to the mix.

No matter what angle you analyze the transfer from, it results in significant pressure on Dempsey's shoulders.

Of course, it could work out to perfection. He could arrive to Seattle, quickly get on the same page with Johnson and lead the Sounders on a terrific run to finish the campaign. In fact, talent-wise, that's exactly what should happen in the coming months.

But if it doesn't, expect Dempsey to catch a lot of flak for returning to the MLS so soon.

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As MLS approaches two decades of play, it is time to look back and reflect on the players that have graced the league. From aging stars to young talent, MLS has provided a platform for many to earn respect on the pitch.

While plenty of fading stars have played out there final years in the states, this list is designed to capture the five best players all time, judged by their performances when they were still in the league.

From goals and assists to minutes played, there are plenty of statistics available to compare these individuals, but ultimately there is an element of subjectivity to the rankings.

So here they are, five of MLS' all-time greats.

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Four years is considered a large timespan in the world of soccer, but for fans of the United States men's national team, the star of 2009 will always hold a place in their memories.

In 2009, a bright young prospect by the name of Charlie Davies broke onto the national team stage and gave American fans hope that they had finally found a strong young striker to lead them into the next generation of the national team.

Davies was the man to fill that void before the likes of Jozy Altidore and Juan Agudelo, amongst others, were handed the title of next great American goalscorer.

It all started when Davies burst onto the scene at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, which was a landmark tournament for the United States as it advanced to the final against Brazil, where it suffered a heartbreaking defeat.

After the dust had settled in South Africa in 2009, Davies was seen to be a lock to return to the African continent the next summer to help anchor the American attack at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Playing in his first career World Cup in the summer of 2010 seemed to be a sure thing for Davies until the horrific car crash he was in during the build-up to the Yanks' match against Costa Rica in October 2009.

Davies' career was sent into a downward spiral, and despite recovering from all of the injuries he suffered in the crash, he was unable to make it back for the World Cup.

Since missing out on the World Cup roster, Davies has turned into one of the many "what could have been" stories that American fans see all too often.

After the accident and World Cup roster disappointment, Davies resurfaced stateside in March 2011 when he joined D.C. United on loan from French club Sochaux, a club that he had been at for just one season.

During that 2011 season, Davies put up some of his best numbers, leading the line for D.C. as he scored 11 goals in 26 Major League Soccer matches.

To the dismay of many fans, Davies failed to join United on a permanent basis, and instead of staying in his home country, he took his talents back overseas.

The next stop on Davies' whirlwind journey would be Randers FC in Denmark, where he played sparingly and failed to find any type of goalscoring rhythm.

With the now 27-year-old looking for a new home, Davies turned to his hometown club as the MLS secondary transfer window shut its doors on Thursday.

The news of Davies' latest move was first reported by Steven Goff of the Washington Post, who tweeted that the Revolution were close to acquiring the forward on Thursday:

The move makes perfect sense for both parties involved as the Revolution will part ways with forward Juan Agudelo at the end of the season as he departs for English Premier League side Stoke City.

If Davies shows signs of promise during the final three months of the MLS season, he could be signed as a permanent replacement for Agudelo.

Davies' move to the side that are closest to his birthplace of New Hampshire was not an easy one to understand due to the wacky transfer rules of MLS.

For some odd reason, Davies' rights were still held by D.C., and with that being the case, his rights will be traded to New England, who will then sign him on loan from Randers:

Once all the specifics get sorted out, Davies will be able to earn a starting spot in a young Revs side that are in the middle of a playoff push in the Eastern Conference.

When he entered the league for the first time in 2011, it was not just fans of D.C. that welcomed Davies with open arms into the league, it was the entire fanbase of the league that did so.

While his move back to the American domestic league may not be as high-profile as the one of Clint Dempsey, Davies' move back to MLS is as important.

As an American player looking to get his career back on track, Davies has decided to put his trust in a league that brought him in to revive his career once already in 2011.

Now, as he rejoins MLS in 2013, one can only hope that Davies finds the same success as he did in 2011, and that he decides to find a permanent home in the league, unlike last time.

What do you think of Charlie Davies' return to Major League Soccer?

Comment below or leave me a comment on Twitter, @JTansey90.

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The dust has settled. United States men’s national team captain Clint Dempsey is officially a member of the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer.

So…now what?

It will be critical for head coach Sigi Schmid to figure out where exactly his recently inked Texan fits in tactically for one of MLS’ most popular clubs.

With an examination of Seattle’s statistics from MLS 2013 as well as a look at Deuce’s numbers from his last season at Tottenham, some clues into how Schmid might deploy his new asset emerge.

One thing is for sure in regards to Dempsey’s role for the Sounders—he will be used to create chances and score goals from an offensive position. He did as much during last season’s English Premier League campaign.

The newly minted Sounder was third on Spurs in Premier League goals with seven during the 2012-13 season and tied for second on the team with four assists. He also dished out 33 key passes.

A player as versatile as Dempsey can be deployed just about anywhere in the midfield or as a forward.

Such versatility means Schmid has some thinking to do.

While he mulls where to play Dempsey, he may want to consider that Seattle definitely needs help creating chances. The Sounders currently rank 15th in MLS 2013 in shots per game with 11.3.

Such a figure might lead Schmid to prefer the USMNT captain as a creator first, finisher second.

Which makes sense considering a good bulk of Seattle’s goals have come from Designated Player Obafemi Martins and USMNT regular Eddie Johnson, both true strikers.

During the past few seasons, Seattle have relied on midfielder Mauro Rosales to carry the playmaking load. He could definitely use the support from Dempsey this season, though, as his 1.5 chances created per match does not crack the top 20 of MLS 2013’s top chance creators.

Dempsey stirring the drink for Seattle is the right move, it seems. One final statistic suggests that he should be doing it as a central player, in behind Martins and Johnson, as opposed to on the flank.

Consider this: Dempsey only attempted 11 crosses during last season’s English Premier League campaign, and he did not connect one of them. Clearly, this is a player who belongs on the middle of the field with the ball at his feet facing the goal.

It will be fascinating to see how one the best American soccer players ever fits in at his new club as the team makes a push to qualify for the 2013 MLS playoffs.

Stats provided by WhoScored?

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With CONCACAF Champions League now underway, some teams will have even more congested schedules than normal. Busy schedules sometimes make it easier to trip a team up, simply because they're tired.

This week's teams on Upset Alert are connected to one semifinal in the U.S. Open Cup through their opponents. Let's take a look at the two teams I think need to be watching their backs this week.

Upset Alert No. 1: Philadelphia Union vs. DC United

For most of the season, DC United has been a pretty bad team. There has been one exception to that "rule," and that has been the US Open Cup.

On Wednesday, they upended the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park 2-0 to advance to the final. It's one of the few times, if any, they've managed to win two consecutive games in all competitions, having beaten Montreal 3-1 at the weekend.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, finds themselves in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, only four points behind first-place New York. They did win the only meeting so far this season between the two clubs, a 3-2 win in Philadelphia on April 21.

I think DC United can pull off the upset because they're hungry to build on their recent successes. They don't really have much to play for the rest of the season, except maybe trying to save coach Ben Olsen's job.

Upset Alert No. 2: Chicago Fire vs. Montreal Impact

I'm sure, going into their Open Cup semifinal with DC United, some Chicago fans might have been thinking about flight plans for the final, considering their opponent only has three league wins this season.

However, I'm sure they weren't planning on having goalkeeper Sean Johnson tell MLSSoccer.com that he was to blame for their 2-0 loss at home.

The Montreal Impact also played on Wednesday, opening CCL play against San Jose, and came away with a 1-0 win over the Earthquakes.

I think Chicago can upset Montreal because they will want to get the bitter taste of the home defeat out of their mouths as soon as possible. Not that it's a long trip, but Montreal will also have to travel for this game after their mid-week victory.

Thoughts? Think I'm loony? Let me know below in the comments.

Follow @FntnCitySoccer

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Don't fixate on Clint Dempsey's anticipated return in MLS Week 24. The search for Jack McInerney's form is equally worth your watchful eye this weekend.

A total of eight MLS clubs were in action on Wednesday. The Montreal Impact and Sporting Kansas City captured much-needed CONCACAF Champions League victories. Real Salt Lake and D.C. United followed suit by advancing to the U.S. Open Cup final.

Nine MLS matches will follow this weekend. But with so much action on tap, what warrants your attention?

Read on to find out.

Note: Unless otherwise mentioned, credit all statistics to the official MLS Press Box Stats and Standings.

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Major League Soccer pulled off a minor coup last week, signing Clint Dempsey to the league from Tottenham Hotspur in the prime of Dempsey’s career.

Usually reserved for up-and-coming youngsters and aging foreign stars looking to grab one final big payday, the move was yet another sign that MLS’ appeal and quality of play is continuing to improve.

With the English Premier League considered by many to be the top league in the world and the 2013-14 EPL season about to kickoff, one wonders, how would a top MLS side do competing in England’s top league?

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On Saturday, Clint Dempsey made a historic move to the Seattle Sounders. The under-the-radar exchange between Seattle and Tottenham was certainly one of the biggest in the transfer window thus far.

As one of the biggest surprises of the summer, this deal was put together rather quickly.

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated wrote a brilliant recap of the events leading up to Dempsey’s eventual signing; he interviewed Seattle’s general manager Adrian Hanauer on how they kept the deal quiet:

"We have really good contacts at the airport, so we were able to sneak him off the flight and down onto the tarmac into a van," says Hanauer with a laugh. "Then he went back around to a baggage claim area that wasn't for his flight. He jumped in my car. His associate James [Skelland] went and got the bags. We picked him up and then away we went."

I recommend reading the entire story because the entire process, including how MLS was involved, was extremely fascinating.

Dempsey’s return to America is great for a number of reasons.

The most important thing for the confidence of an athlete is getting consistent playing time. In Seattle, Dempsey will get that and more. 

In Dempsey’s time at Tottenham, he never really got the opportunity to play big minutes. He notched 22 Premier League starts last year, but that’s simply not enough for a player who is trying to lead his team in the World Cup.

The American hero had to prove himself on a daily basis, which must have been exhausting for the 30-year-old veteran.

At this point in his career, Demspey needed to make a move that was right for him. In Seattle, he not only will get 90 minutes every game, but he won’t have to endure the pressures of fighting for a starting spot every time he touches the field.

The confidence that he will gain by playing on a regular basis will help his overall game. He is too far into his career to worry about his location anymore.

MLS has been trying to bring more players with star power into the league, but no one expected a player like Dempsey. With Diego Forlan and Lucas Melano rumored to come to America, the United States veteran is a pleasant surprise.

MLS has been pushing for a higher quality of talent in the league; it finally has another great player.

Dempsey’s return proves that competition in MLS is finally up to a higher standard. If he didn’t think the MLS could properly prepare him for the World Cup, he wouldn’t be there.

The main argument against this move is that he won’t be playing well enough in preparation for the World Cup. This is completely ridiculous.

Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States national team don multiple starters from MLS. Omar Gonzalez, Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, Eddie Johnson, and Landon Donovan have all been in the good graces of Klinsmann during his time as head coach. Obviously the United States head coach doesn’t discriminate against players in MLS.

The decision comes down to the 2014 World Cup. Can Dempsey properly prepare himself in MLS for next summer’s competition?

Honestly, I don’t think Dempsey knows the answer to that. That’s why he put a clause in his contract that will allow him to return to Europe during the winter months, according to Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives.

This clause is perfect for Dempsey. If he feels that the competition won’t properly prepare him, he can return to Europe for the months leading up to the World Cup.

A lot of people don’t realize that the MLS schedule is built perfectly to prepare players for the World Cup. Players on the other side of the world end their seasons in May, so they don’t have any rest going into the world’s highest level of competition.

MLS players on the other hand start their season at the beginning of the year. This means that they will be in midseason form when the World Cup comes around. Dempsey can play in Europe for a few months leading up to the World Cup if he wants, giving him the ultimate flexibility.

Clint Dempsey is arguably the best player on the United States roster, but as a veteran, he knows what is best for him. I would be shocked if this move didn’t end up helping him, and the United States men’s national team, in the end.

Follow me on Twitter: J_Finkel

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Fans of soccer stadiums or just beautiful locales will absolutely love leaked renderings of the Pier 40 stadium supposedly made for the future New York City FC. 

Unfortunately, it seems the brilliant images of a possible stadium will have to remain fictional for the time being. 

Jake O'Donnell of Sports Grid spotted the following leaked renderings originally posted over at Reddit. Take just a moment and imagine the pure magnificence that would come with watching a fixture on Pier 40. 

Back in May, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber announced New York would be getting a new team—a franchise born from the partnership between powerhouses Manchester City and MLB's New York Yankees. 

At the time, Garber stated the club would play in a temporary locale for its inaugural 2015 season, leaving fans to guess where a permanent home might present itself. 

It seems fairly obvious that any stadium sitting along the pier would be amazing for sports fans living in Manhattan. 

In fact, you might offer that such fanciful arenas would rest comfortably in the land of "too good to be true."

If you believe some of the things being offered in the Reddit comments section, it is. 

The following quotes come from Reddit user, RemyDWD, who writes, "I'm a soccer writer in NYC. Been on the beat for just about 2 years," when asked about his knowledge of the situation. RemyDWD is also listed as a moderator on the site. 

Here is what the reporter had to offer on these particular images: 

Official response from the league spokesperson when I asked for comment:

This rendering was a conceptual design that Major League Soccer produced when considering Pier 40 as a potential soccer stadium.

As noted by another commenter, there is a great deal of past tense in that comment. 

The moderator then breaks down the difficulty presented with building a stadium as wonderful as this right on the pier. 

Pier 40 was one of the stadium locations that was discussed when the league started their search for a home for NY2. No formal reason was given as to why it was dropped but I did attend a meeting where the Hudson River Park Trust acknowledged that MLS had been in touch about the location.

Now, these very well could be old and from that exploration, but unless I get a comment back from the league (and I just asked), there's no way of knowing.

What's interesting about Pier 40 is that the HRPT mentioned that they needed $200M of repair work just to get the Pier stable enough to build anything on, let alone the cost of additional work. While when the league was going it alone to get the stadium deal done, that seemed a bridge too far, I can't say NYC FC's ownership is truly lacking in money.

As noted, the new franchise does benefit from having owners who are seemingly flush with cash. Still, it seems this remarkable stadium will have to remain a fairy tale. 

Now that you are thoroughly depressed, go ahead and savor the images one last time before demanding MLS go back and reconsider what would be the best stadium in the league. 

Hit me up on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

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