Clint Dempsey is reportedly in talks with Seattle Sounders over a fresh contract. The United States international has played an influential role for the Sounders, who reached the Western Conference final after beating Vancouver Whitecaps in a two-legged semi-final play-off.

According to FourFourTwo, negotiations are underway between Sounders and Dempsey for the 2018 season, although the club have declined to comment on the situation. The 34-year-old saw his career coming to an abrupt end after an irregular heartbeat was discovered last year, but he has overcome this problem to contribute 14 goals for the Sounders this term. You can back him to beat that tally next season, and with one of the Betfairpromotions 2018 you can get double the odds!?

Dempsey currently has a one-year clause on his contract, and it is suggested that he may have to take a pay-cut on his $3.89 million wages in order to prolong his stay for another season. The veteran has been Sounders’ talisman over the past couple of years, and he was once again crucial on Thursday night where he scored twice against Vancouver Whitecaps to take his team within two games of retaining the MLS Cup.

The former Fulham man also played a key role for the national side earlier this year as he contributed four goals in their World Cup qualifiers, but it eventually came in vain after they suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Trinidad & Tobago in the final group game. The result saw the United States miss on the World Cup finals for the first time since 1986, and this has crept doubts over Dempsey’s international career.

Dempsey is currently tied with Landon Donovan as the country’s all-time scorer on 57 goals, and he will surely have the incentive of breaking the feat before ending his association with the national team. The United States have an international friendly scheduled versus Portugal on November 15, but the striker may be omitted from the squad owing to the Sounders’ progress to the Conference finals.

With USA crashing out in the World Cup Qualifiers (after failing to get the right result against Honduras in their last match of the campaign, the US mens national team will sadly be missing for the World Cup next summer in Russia. Whilst it would have been interesting to see how they got on, the loss should herald a change in direction for the side, with much more of an emphasis on youth, and giving them a chance to shine. It may well mean that the likes of Dempsey and co are left out on the sidelines, but given the recent performances of the national side, it should come as no shock to them that there needs to be changes.