{"id":21019,"date":"2013-08-04T20:31:22","date_gmt":"2013-08-05T00:31:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/?p=21019"},"modified":"2013-08-04T20:34:04","modified_gmt":"2013-08-05T00:34:04","slug":"revs-gm-burns-talks-dempsey-signing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/?p=21019","title":{"rendered":"Revs GM Burns Talks Dempsey Signing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MikeBurns1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. \u2013 Everyone would love to have Clint Dempsey.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said prior to Sunday\u2019s game against Toronto FC, just a day after the former Revolution goal-scorer returned to the MLS as a member of the Seattle Sounders<\/p>\n

Seattle unveiled Dempsey as their newest Designated Player before their game Saturday Night, a day after another former Rev \u2013 Shalrie Joseph \u2013 restructured his contract to remove himself as a DP.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think first and foremost this only happens if Clint wants it to happen,\u201d said Burns. \u201cHe\u2019s a tremendous player. He has a tremendous r\u00e9sum\u00e9. He\u2019s going to be great for this league again. I think it says a lot about him and how he views and values MLS. I think he ultimately wanted to come back and got the deal done to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dempsey joins Mauro Rosales and Obafemi Martins as Designated Players on Seattle, something that raises the bar for other teams in the league.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just keep raising the bar with two very big, high profile, highly compensated designated players,\u201d said Burns. \u201cI think it raises the bar for the rest of the league.\u201d<\/p>\n

After six and a half years abroad in the English Premier League, Dempsey\u2019s return at age 30 was a surprise to many, including Burns.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me personally it was a little surprising,\u201d he said. \u201cIt seemed like it happened relatively quickly. I think they did a very commendable job on keeping the lid on this until the last possible minute.<\/p>\n

Burns believes that Dempsey\u2019s move back to the MLS as one the nation\u2019s best players just a year before the World Cup \u201csays an awful lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Support on the Way?<\/b><\/p>\n

The summer MLS window is quickly closing \u2013 this coming Thursday to be exact \u2013 and the Revolution have been without a move incoming or outgoing, but that could change soon.<\/p>\n

When addressing the media prior to Sunday\u2019s game against Toronto, GM Michael Burns said the Revolution might be adding another player.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are looking to add before Thursday but there\u2019s nothing to announce yet,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a good chance that something may happen but it\u2019s not done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burns would not comment if the possible incoming player would be signed as a Designated Player.<\/p>\n