MLS: Clint Dempsey puts happiness ahead of expectations, joins Seattle

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Seattle Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer told his side of the story first: "Starting about two years [ago], I would call the league or be in contact with Lyle Yorks, Clint's agent, and inquire about Clint. And the answer was always 'No chance. No chance, no chance, no chance.'"

"So every few months I would call and get the same answer. So we sort of went on our way, assuming that that would continue to be the case."

"And then I'd say about two and half weeks ago, I got a call from Todd Durbin in the MLS office and the message was 'there might be a chance.'"

Dempsey slipped in his deeper thoughts before tempering it with more work talk: "A few weeks ago, the opportunity came up where my agent asked me if [the move] were something I'd be interested in and I said 'for sure.'"

"I wanted to come back to the States. I just missed being in America. I had two more years there, but I've been in Europe for six and a half years and I just... I wanted to come home. Every year was more difficult to go back and I think everything just has to do with timing."

"[Seattle is] the perfect place to be to do the things you want to do on and off the field. I look forward to raising my family here. Being able to have my kids raised here in the States and have some of the same experiences that I had. I just look forward to that and look forward to getting started. Getting on the field."