Jol furious with Liverpool

Liverpool have “embarrassed” Fulham over their failure to follow up an inquiry for Clint Dempsey, an angry Martin Jol claimed today.

The Whites boss confirmed this afternoon that star forward Dempsey has told him that he wants to leave Craven Cottage for Liverpool, who have been keeping track of the player all summer.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers admitted last month that he was interested in signing the 29-year-old, but the Ulsterman has never lodged a bid for Dempsey, which has left Jol fuming.

“That was very disappointing,” Jol told a press conference.

“Clint told everyone he was going to Liverpool before he came back so we really thought there was quite a firm interest in him. Even (Rodgers) told everyone he was interested in Clint Dempsey, but our people never had an offer. It’s almost embarrassing.

“If you have shown interest in a player, you have to follow it up with an offer.”

Despite losing Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora to QPR over the last six months, Jol is now resigned to losing another one of his goal scorers in Dempsey.

The United States international, who scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, has been training away from the rest of the Fulham squad after missing the club’s pre-season training camp, and will not play in tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League season-opener against Norwich at Craven Cottage.

Dempsey and Liverpool are in a strong bargaining position as the player only has 12 months left on his contract, but Jol insists the American will not leave unless a decent offer comes in for him.

“We’ve got a chairman who’s quite strong and if we get the right price we will sell him and if not he’ll stay here,” the Dutchman added.

“I would like to keep him but I think it’s impossible because he wants to move. Clint told me he wants to go to a Champions League club.

“I’m not sure if Liverpool is in the Champions League but if you look at the size of Liverpool, it’s like a Champions League club.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for us it’s a sad situation and embarrassing.”