Clint Dempsey: End of Transfer Window Will Finally Bring End to Summer Nightmare

It doesn't even matter where Clint Dempsey lands at this point. Whether a transfer is secured to Arsenal, Liverpool, Sunderland, West Ham United or another squad, or he remains with Fulham, he'll be better off when he can put the entire debacle behind him.

What started off as a summer with so much promise for Dempsey quickly turned into a recurring nightmare. His desire to leave Craven Cottage after the best season of his career didn't work out like he hoped, and the entire situation has gotten progressively worse.

Sunderland has been making the biggest push for him in recent days, according to The Daily Mail. The report states the club has begun talking with the American striker about personal terms, but no deal has been reached so far.

The Black Cats wouldn't exactly fit in Dempsey's wish to join one of the Premier League's top squads after finishing 13th last season—four spots behind Fulham—but the Texas native really can't afford to get picky with just days until the window closes.

Dempsey would be a nice addition to any of the aforementioned teams after tallying 23 goals in 46 games for Fulham last season and a total of 36 over the past two seasons. Yet, you couldn't blame clubs about thinking twice about him after the entire transfer ordeal.

That's why Dempsey should be hoping for a resolution before the deadline. Not only has he been forced to miss games because of the lack of progress in talks, but his image has taken a serious hit, making him seem like a diva, even though that wasn't the case beforehand.

Dempsey was always viewed as a hard-working player who got the most out of his ability. It's hard to blame him for dreaming big after a season like he enjoyed last season, but he probably wasn't expecting all the events that would follow, leading him to his current spot.

The 29-year-old forward has remained quiet throughout most of the process, posting a simple message on Twitter saying that "the truth will come out soon."

Hopefully, whatever happens over the next few days allows him to get back on the pitch and out of the negative spotlight. Although he brought the attention on himself, it's time for everybody to move on and get back to business. In his case, that means scoring goals.

If nothing else, he learned a lesson many players have over the years: The transfer window isn't always as exciting as it might seem from the outside.