In a week dominated by ownership changes, big-time transfers and a star-studded All-Star Game, fans of Major League Soccer already had plenty of things to talk about.

If you add in the play on the pitch this weekend, fans of the league will not run short on watercooler discussion topics this week.

During the action on the pitch, last week's top two clubs failed to record a victory.

With Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake leaving the door wide open, another club has soared to the top of the B/R MLS Power Rankings.

Read on to see who was crowned the top club in MLS this week by our experts.

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No one could stop the action in Major League Soccer Week 23, not even Mother Nature.

The Portland Timbers failed to capture a Cascadia Cup victory on Saturday, and their 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps was the club's 11th of the season. The Chicago Fire had no problems in that department. A 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union extended Chicago's unbeaten streak to three matches.

A game-winner from Mike Magee gave the American sole possession of the MLS Golden Boot lead with 14 goals.

But some tough competition kept all four clubs from making the list of best and worst from MLS Week 23.

Read on to find out why.

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At first blush, Clint Dempsey's record MLS transfer from the EPL may seem like a nasty blow to American pride. Our biggest European football star called it quits on his European career.

Of course, this follows the three most productive years of Dempsey's career.

Three years that were anything but smooth sailing professionally but unarguably the three years that will define Dempsey's legacy—unless the gambit pays off and Dempsey plays a glorious swan song on the world's biggest football stage, the World Cup.

We are sure to hear from Dempsey himself in the coming days, but for now we are left speculating why Dempsey would leave European football now. 

His club situation is a mess, no doubt, but one would have to figure that if Gareth Bale leaves Tottenham Hotspur that Dempsey would have been a valuable talent for Andre Villas-Boas to call on. Why isn't Dempsey tempted by the challenge of helping fill Bale's size 11 Adidas?

Even if White Hart Lane was a rotten place to continue his career, why not choose another European club?

Because he is more tempted by World Cup glory.

And who can blame him?

Since the 2010 World Cup, Dempsey made an average of 43.7 club appearances per year. Over that same time span Chris Wondolowski, an MLS workhorse, made an average of 33.3 club appearances per year.

And, since MLS stubbornly refuses to adopt FIFA's international calendar, Dempsey will likely miss the Sounders' games on Sept. 4, 7 and 13 to play Hex qualifiers against Costa Rica on Sept. 6 and Mexico on Sept. 11, plus the Sounders' Oct. 9 and 13 games to finish qualification against Jamaica on Oct. 11 and Panama on Oct. 15.

That could mean 15 fewer games on Dempsey's 30-something frame heading into next summer's World Cup, and it could very likely be more as the U.S. team finishes its World Cup preparations after qualifying.

So we're talking about a fairly substantial 25 percent workload reduction.

Of course, this workload reduction cuts both ways—competitive games improve a player's stamina and technical acuity. Factor in the lower level of competition Dempsey will face in MLS (sorry MLS fans, but you know it's true) and no doubt many people will make a strong case that Dempsey is hurting his World Cup preparations with the move.

In fact, given how Jurgen Klinsmann is always on about players constantly challenging themselves, and that he specifically called out Dempsey before on this, it would be easy to imagine that Klinsmann will not be too thrilled by this development.

I'm sure we'll hear from the coach soon enough. 

Clint Dempsey, however, is no spring chicken, and it is hard to imagine that he will get any sharper playing at a higher level for the next 11 months. The more likely scenario is that Dempsey picks up an injury or two or three, gets physically worn out from too many appearances and mentally worn out from playing in front of the British media, and shows up at the World Cup more tired than he was in 2010 when his performances were widely panned for their lack of energy.

No, U.S. fans, Dempsey knew he would have to head home eventually, and the time was right. He leaves Europe at the peak of his career before his body and career decline, and he will be as fresh as a college player when the Nats land in Brazil.

With a refreshed Landon Donovan by his side, the Americans will field their strongest, most experienced team ever in a FIFA World Cup.

The jury will be out for several years on whether or not this move was good for Dempsey, the Sounders and MLS, but in the short run this is great news for the U.S. men's national team.

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The Seattle Sounders rolled out the red carpet in style to welcome new signing Clint Dempsey to the club.

The United States captain has joined the Major League Soccer side after leaving Tottenham Hotspur following just one season with the North London club.

But if the forward was in any doubt about his move to Seattle, the welcome afforded to the player by the club and almost 40,000 supporters inside CenturyLink Field will have assuaged his thoughts.

The 30-year-old has cost Seattle a fee of around £6 million, according to BBC Sport, which is the same figure Spurs paid Fulham for his services just before the 2012 summer transfer window closed.

Dempsey scored 12 goals in 43 appearances for Tottenham last season, but his first-team opportunities would have been limited this year following the arrival of Roberto Soldado from Valencia.

Dempsey left the New England Revolution in January 2007 to join Fulham in the Premier League, and he went on to score 50 times in 84 league appearances for the Craven Cottage club.

The forward was linked strongly with Liverpool and Aston Villa last summer before Andre Villas-Boas made him one of his first signings as White Hart Lane manager.

Dempsey, who was born in Nacogdoches, Texas, will now link up with former Fulham teammates Marcus Hahnemann and Eddie Johnson in Seattle.

Sounders owner Joe Roth declared the signing as "an historic day" for his MLS team, saying, "Clint is a world-class soccer player who can take this club to a higher level. We have been consistent in our message to the fans that we will spare no expense to win trophies."

Dempsey was given the all-star treatment in front of the Sounders supporters on Saturday night as he was unveiled at CenturyLink Field.

The USMNT skipper, who has earned 99 caps for his country, wore a hooded sweatshirt at first before slowly revealing a Sounders jersey to the sell-out crowd when Roth asked him which club he had chosen to play for in the MLS.

Dempsey then went on a lap of welcome around the ground before Seattle's 3-0 win over FC Dallas.

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The Seattle Sounders will need to play very well in the coming weeks in order to make the postseason, and the addition of Clint Dempsey will certainly help the team's chances of finishing in at least fifth place in the Western Conference.

Tottenham Hotspur announced Friday that it had reached an agreement to transfer Dempsey to Major League Soccer, per the official Twitter account for the club. Doug McIntyre of ESPNFC reports that the Texas native will be playing for the Sounders.

The official Twitter account for Major League Soccer welcomed the star back:

Dempsey played in MLS from 2004 through 2006 for the New England Revolution and was very successful. He scored 25 goals in 71 appearances with New England. He then went to play in England, spending the last five years between Fulham and Tottenham. In the Premier League, Dempsey scored 57 goals in 212 appearances.

The American is most known in the United States for his play with the U.S. Men's National Team. He is second in goals in the team's history with 35 in 99 matches, according to USSoccer.com. He's been an impact player no matter which club he's on the pitch for, and that's likely one of the things Seattle liked about him.

There’s no question that Dempsey's return to MLS is massive for the league, but it's even more important for the Sounders. Entering Saturday, Seattle is four points out of fifth place in the West. The Sounders still have time to make a move toward the top of the conference standings, and hope is far from lost.

The first half of the season was a disappointment for Seattle, as a slew of injuries plagued the club. General manager and part owner Adrian Hanauer has been focused on adding a player to two aid the team’s chances of making the playoffs. Here’s what he had to say, per Jeremiah Oshan of MLSSoccer.com:

We’re fiddling with some things, trying to free up some space. We are trying to add one or two players that can contribute significantly. One would be good, two would be outstanding, probably defensively or in the midfield.

Hanauer was probably looking for a midfielder, as his club has only scored 24 goals in 19 matches. That’s roughly just over a goal per match. More often than not, one goal won't be enough to win—especially since the defense could use some help too, as the general manager noted. The club needed to add someone who can put the ball in the back of the net.

Dempsey will be the X-factor for Seattle throughout the remainder of the year. He should be able to provide the offense the team so desperately needs. He's a great finisher who will surely help the Sounders compete for a victory each time the club takes the pitch.

To this point in the season, the Sounders have done a good job at staying in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. Now, with Dempsey on the roster, there’s no question they can make up enough ground in the West to clinch a postseason berth.

*All statistics and information in this article was obtained via ESPN unless otherwise noted.

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Both the Los Angeles Galaxy and Juventus lost in the opening round of the International Champions Cup. The losses ended their hopes of winning the title and sent them into the consolation bracket for the remaining matches.

The Galaxy actually trailed Real Madrid by just one inside the last 20 minutes before Karim Benzema scored to put the match out of reach. It was a showing worthy of praise from the event's only American club, but they simply didn't have the pieces necessary to pull off the upset.

Juventus' loss to Everton came as a surprise due to the Italian squad's success last season. While they were able to equalize late in the match, they couldn't survive penalty kicks as the Toffees punched their ticket to the semifinals.

All that said, it should be an entertaining encounter between two defending champions. Let's examine the key information for the clash, followed by a preview and match prediction.

Where: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif.

When: Saturday, Aug. 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET (3:30 a.m. BT)

Watch: Fox Soccer Channel

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Preview

What made the Galaxy's performance against Real Madrid impressive was the fact they were able to keep it close despite Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and Omar Gonzalez not playing. The role players stepped up to avoid a blowout.

Of course, the Blancos are still searching for top form as they work toward the new campaign. If it was a midseason match with something important on the line, the result probably would be more lopsided. But it should still give Los Angeles some confidence.

Unlike the European clubs, the Galaxy are in the midst of their regular season, which is an advantage. They already have the chemistry the other squads are currently building, and which was noticeably absent for Juventus in their loss to Everton.

Alas, it's hard to imagine the Galaxy earning any victories in the tournament unless they get some star power back. Donovan, who was tremendous in the United States' run to the Gold Cup title, would give the club a much-needed attacking boost.

Los Angeles do not have the talent to keep pace with the marquee clubs otherwise.

Although it's just preseason, Juventus can't be happy with their performance against Everton. They struggled to maintain attacking pressure and allowed Everton, who lack offensive stars, to steal the win.

The only goal the Vecchia Signora scored came off a fortunate deflection in the Everton box. Full marks to Kwadwo Asamoah for striking a laser past Tim Howard, but better defending and Juventus wouldn't have found the scoreboard.

Juventus need a far more comprehensive effort in attack. Along with Asamoah, players like new arrival Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal must rise to the occasion. The Galaxy back line should provide less resistance than the wall Everton put up for most of the match.

Juventus are the deeper and more talented side. That should shine through, allowing them to earn the victory, but the Galaxy should be able to keep it close.

Prediction: Juventus 2, LA Galaxy 1

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American soccer star Clint Dempsey is reportedly set to make a return to the United States this summer as his current club, Tottenham Hotspur, is finalizing a deal with Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders, according to ESPNFC's Doug McIntyre.

UPDATE: Saturday, August 3, at 12:20 p.m. ET by Sam Westmoreland

From Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated: 

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UPDATE: Friday, August 2, at 8:50 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

From Pro Soccer Talk's Richard Farley:

Multiple sources within Major League Soccer have informed NBC Sports’ ProSoccerTalk that Tottenham Hotspur will receive a $9 million transfer fee for the U.S. captain’s services – roughly 95 percent of the £6 million Spurs reportedly paid for Dempsey last summer.  To complete the unexpected move, Seattle have guaranteed the 30-year-old attacker $32 million over the next four seasons, making him one of the most expensive players in league history.

The $9 million transfer fee will also be the highest paid in league history and the second major purchase made by the Sounders this summer.

---End of update---

UPDATE: Friday, August 2, at 8:22 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

From Ives Galarcep:

---End of update---

Original Text

NBC's Pro Soccer Talk also reported that the U.S. international is bound for Seattle and would be formally introduced on Saturday.

The 30-year-old attacking midfielder has spent the past six-plus years starring in the English Premier League. He appeared in 29 league matches for Spurs a season ago, scoring seven goals and recording four assists after coming over to White Hart Lane from Fulham, where he spent several seasons with the Cottagers.

Dempsey scored 57 goals in the Premier League with Fulham and Tottenham, netting a career-high 17 league goals in 2011-12 at Craven Cottage.

A native of Nacogdoches, Texas, Dempsey spent several years with the Dallas Texans youth soccer club before taking his talents to Furman University in South Carolina. After impressing with the Paladins, Dempsey was drafted eighth overall by the New England Revolution in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft and played three seasons with the Revolution before heading overseas. 

Dempsey made his first appearance for the U.S. men's national team in 2004 and has since played in nearly 100 matches for the Stars and Stripes, scoring 35 goals on the international stage. 

Founded in 2007, Seattle Sounders FC made their MLS debut in 2009 and have made the postseason in each of the past four seasons. 

That streak could end in 2013, though, as the Sounders are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference, boasting just eight wins in 19 matches. 

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter. 

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David Beckham arrived in 2007 with the ambition to transform MLS into a prominent league. The Englishman's time in the states has come and gone but the question remains—is MLS making progress or remaining the same?

While it may never boast the likes of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, realistic expectations of what MLS can become range greatly. After nearly two decades of play, it is easy to see where the league has made strides and where it has come up short.

Following Beckham's arrival, the league announced expansion teams that began play in San Jose (2008), Seattle (2009), Philadelphia (2010), Vancouver and Portland (2011), and Montreal (2012), increasing the total number of teams to 19.

Each location was purposeful. The Pacific Northwest, a previously untapped market, exploded into a hotbed of MLS rivalries. Their supporters capture a passion rarely found in American professional sports.

Soccer-specific stadiums—a key component to fan experience—have sprung up across the country. Kansas City, Houston, Philadelphia and New Jersey all operate impressive new stadiums, while renovations transformed Montreal, Portland and Vancouver into improved venues for the game.

The league's regular season attendance average increased from a stagnant 15,504 in 2006 to 17,872 in 2011 and a record 18,807 last season. That type of growth, spurred in part by the new additions to the league, indicates a strong foundation from which to build further.

The league is doing just that.

At the MLS All -Star game on Wednesday , MLS commissioner Don Garber announced four more teams are to be added to the league by 2020 . This is in addition to the previously announced New York City FC which will begin play in 2015.

Garber acknowledged that Beckham was crucial to carrying the league to new heights, but that the progress must continue without him:

There's arguably not a soccer fan on this planet that doesn't know the LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer, and David played a significant role in helping us make that happen. We needed David Beckham in 2007 to help drive our credibility, to help grow our popularity and to show the world really that the United States ... was ready to support a division one league. We don't need anything today to get us to the next level.

Garber remained steadfast in his decree, citing areas of growth that MLS is working to improve:

It's a wide variety of initiatives, from player development, from continued investment in our overall player pool, to better and more focused marketing, to smart expansion to a transformation into a digital world where our games are even more available than they are today.

In these pursuits , MLS has been quite successful. It is growing, not just in attendance but through expansion and accessibility . Even as more fans flock to the stadiums, TV viewership has improved as well.

Becks may be gone, but players like Thierry Henry, Robbie Keane, and Tim Cahill have arrived. These players command respect all over the globe. Their exploits in Europe speak to their past successes, but impressive loan spells indicate that these players are still near their peaks.

These are measurable areas in which the league has made significant progress. Through smart marketing, thoughtful expansion and the attraction of notable talent, MLS has moved forward in developing a well-known league capable of becoming a major player in the American sports scene.

One area that cannot be quantified, however, is the level of play. The credibility of the league has often come under scrutiny, but judging the general caliber of talent is difficult .

The MLS All-Star game has been a useful tool to pit the league's best against one of Europe's elite sides. Though admittedly the powerhouse clubs rarely play their starting lineup or push the tempo in preseason, MLS has enjoyed an impressive record against such opposition.

Yet some cringe worthy drubbings remind the league how far is has to go. Roma dismantled the All-Star's defense on Wednesday, eventually winning 3-1. In 2011, the All-Stars were beaten 4-0 by Manchester United, unable to contain their potent attack. However, that result paled in comparison to United 's 7-0 demolition of the Seattle Sounders that same summer .

While Manchester United are among the world's best, a 7-0 result is embarrassing.

Recent friendlies may reflect improvement, or simply the inconsistency of such matches. Norwich City, a respectable Premier League side, lost 1 -0 to both the Portland Timbers and the San Jose Earthquakes in its preseason tour last month.

Impressive, sure, but friendlies—unless heavily lopsided—are tough indicators of real competition.

Many of the poor results reflect the perception that MLS is a big notch below European leagues. Players like Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley have enjoyed successful careers abroad, but many prominent players in MLS often struggle when they move across the pond.

Brek Shea's £2 .5 million move to Stoke City last year offered excitement, but resulted in just two Premier League appearances. Eddie Johnson, an established star in MLS and a solid performer for the national team, failed miserably after moving to Fulham in 2008 . The striker was unable to find the net for the club, and scored just two in 30 league appearances for Cardiff when on loan.

Those might be extreme examples, but it is hard to watch an MLS star fail to make any sort of impact when moving to Europe, even when loaned out to a lower division side .

While individuals have found mixed success transitioning to tougher competition abroad, teams in MLS must focus on cohesive improvement .

The CONCACAF Champions League offers great competition amongst decent leagues in Central America . Yet MLS often fails to make the grade . The Los Angeles Galaxy won the cup in 2000, but only one team has even made the final since that day.

The league should have aspirations to emulate Europe. Those divisions offer the pinnacle of competition and talent . However , the league must conquer this part of the world before it has any hope of catching up elsewhere.

MLS has made great strides since it began play in 1996, especially in recent years. Fan attendance, viewership and notoriety are all up, and that is no easy task. The league continues to offer solid competition, but has a long way to go to catch up with Europe's elite.

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Major League Soccer's proposed expansion by four teams in 2020 puts a lot of faith in the brand of the sport in the USA, but it's a substantial risk that could spread the league too thin.

The best, most entertaining football America has to offer is battled out on the NFL gridiron, while the MLS takes a backseat in terms of major sports popularity.

Regardless, commissioner Don Garber decided to announce at halftime of the recent All-Star Game that the league would expand by four teams in the coming years, per The Washington Post's Steven Goff:

That game showcased the gap between U.S. soccer and others, as many of the MLS' best players were beaten comfortably 3-1 in a match against AS Roma, who finished sixth in Italy's Serie A.

In order for the MLS to eventually approach the interest soccer has in the rest of the world as the planet's most beloved sport, the quality of the game needs to be the primary focus, rather than the number of teams.

While bringing soccer to new U.S. markets could be a catalyst for enhancing its profile across the country, it's important that the game is being played at a high level in those instances. Given the current talent pool of the MLS, it doesn't seem feasible.

Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune points out how local TV markets are faring rather well in the expanding league, but that national television ratings are still very minimal.

A big reason for that is the lack of individual star power, which is what ultimately drives sports. Absent a true set of faces of American soccer, it's hard to sell the MLS.

Even if the league experiences a massive influx of skillful, world-class players over the next seven years or so, it's still a bit of a long shot that soccer will be popular enough to be a massive hit in the U.S.

There are plenty of Americans who play soccer, but when seeking out the most entertaining matches, nearly none turn to the native product for predominant consumption. Rather, the English Premier League, La Liga and other European leagues are looked upon as the golden standard.

It's rightfully so, too, because watching that type of play as opposed to what transpires in the MLS is frankly like watching two different sports. The game is faster, more physical and far more captivating throughout the 90 minutes of action on the pitch.

Both the EPL and La Liga have 20 clubs playing in the league each year, with the bottom three being demoted for relegation.

Unfortunately, American soccer doesn't have the luxury of relegation.

Any league in the States other than the MLS is scarcely followed at all. Adding more teams to the mix may not be a viable solution either, though, because it threatens to water down the already inferior competition to the more advanced leagues around the world.

Instead of simply adding more teams to the MLS, the league should focus on adding minor-league affiliates and expanding that way.

If developmental youth programs could be put in place for each club, too, that would give younger American talent an earlier opportunity at a pro career. It would provide a more direct line to an MLS roster than the North American Soccer League or the USL Professional Division.

Thus, a more defined path to the top American league could also provide more incentive for kids from the United States to take up soccer and stick with it.

To be fair to the MLS, it has made huge strides since its founding in 1993, but this latest proposition is stretching it.

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The best players in the MLS were no match for a middling Serie A squad, as Roma defeated the MLS All-Stars 3-1 Wednesday.

In the match, the Italian club showcased more cohesion, which is not surprising considering the host squad was full of players who had rarely played together, if at all. There was also a great deal of skill from the winners that could not be matched.

Still, there were impressive showings from both sides in this one, highlighted by the following players' performances.

Kevin Strootman, Roma

After coming over from PSV Eindhoven in Holland, Kevin Strootman is expected to make a big impact for Roma this season. If he plays like he did against the MLS All-Stars, his new club will be very happy.

The 23-year-old midfielder needed just four minutes to score the opening goal in the match and was able to make a consistent impact throughout the 90 minutes. He also showcased his passing ability with an assist on a second-half goal.

Strootman is generally known for his defensive ability as a sure tackler who can stop opposing attacks, but he proved in this one that he could be a big help on the offensive end as well.

As he continues to improve, he will make a big difference in the midfield for Roma.

Omar Gonzalez, MLS

In the closing seconds of the match, Omar Gonzalez saved the MLS squad from an embarrassing shutout. 

The Los Angeles Galaxy player showed off his aerial ability with a header that went past the keeper and into the back of the net, making the final score a more respectable 3-1.

While the defense as a whole left a lot to be desired, Gonzalez was as good as ever at center-back. With more communication, the squad could have seen a better result. However, the young player was still one of the better players for the All-Stars in this one. 

Francesco Totti, Roma

Although it is nothing new for Francesco Totti to dominate a match, the fact that he is still doing it at 36 years old is impressive.

Even without tallying a goal or an assist, the forward's skill was on display with excellent passes that made the opposition look silly. The MLS All-Stars simply had no answer defensively to stop Totti on the attack.

After totaling 12 goals and 12 assists last season in Serie A, it is clear that the veteran will not be slowing down any time soon. 

Matt Besler, MLS

The Sporting Kansas City defender was a huge hit with the home crowd as one of a few players represented by the host team. Fortunately, he was one who stood out with his solid play.

Despite allowing one goal very early in the match, the rest of the first half featured good defense from the MLS squad to keep the score 1-0 at intermission.

Roma were able to add to the lead after Besler was taken out of the match, but he played well enough while on the pitch to remind people that he is among the best defensive players in the country.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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