we wouldn't be in this position because we have had to rely on him a lot of times to score goals.

At Craven Cottage, he's an automatic starter, leading goal scorer, and that won't change (barring injury) regardless of his contract situation. His impressive scoring record will also attract the interest of Champions League clubs -- if it hasn't already -- both in England and around Europe.

"He is here for at least another year so that is not a big problem. The problem is that we want to keep him here for longer. But the difference is not very big. He has 17 months left and we want to keep him here for the next three years."

Signing a new Fulham deal will only limit his future prospects. The onset of Financial Fair Play and the looming European debt crisis have made most clubs more cautious than ever about their transfer spending. Instead of paying premiums and markups, clubs seek bargains and value buys in the market.

Dempsey now faces a crucial decision. The goal-oriented attacker dreams of playing in the UEFA Champions League, and it's almost certain that he won't achieve that with Fulham.

Dempsey's contract expires at the end of next season, and his club wants to sign him to a new deal that runs through the 2014-15 campaign. Manager Martin Jol told ESPN that negotiations are under way.

Fulham's Clint Dempsey is a hot commodity in the soccer world. The American star is versatile, experienced, and has a knack for scoring goals against top competition. He's also heading into a contract year.

With an expiring contract Dempsey is one of those players. If he inks and extension, Fulham can put a price tag on the player that could discourage potential buyers from making an offer for his services.

No team in any sport wants to see its best players leave. But it's a fact of life for many clubs worldwide.

Rather than allowing Fulham to potentially price him out of a dream, Dempsey should take as much time as he wants to make sure that his next move is his best move. He has at most three or four years left at the top of his game. Now is the time for him to take his game to that next level.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O'Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer's Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

"We are talking to him," Jol said. "At any club, you want to keep your best players so that is what we try hard to do. If Clint Dempsey wasn't here, we wouldn't be in this position because we have had to rely on him a lot of times to score goals.

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