The transfer finally happened. Clint Dempsey completed his “dream” move to Tottenham – because every boy dreams of Europa League football – for a fee of $9.6 million. With a new contract worth about $22 million over three years, Dempsey will become the highest-paid American soccer player of all-time (and make about 2.5 times what he made at Fulham).

Why this move? Why did it take so long? Well, it went much as we predicted heading into the summer. Dempsey was in the Donovan/MLS trap. He had no leverage. At 29 with a year left on his contract, he was worth more to Fulham than Fulham could command on the open market. He would have to force a move and the buyer would have to overpay for him. Tottenham would. Liverpool would not.

Spurs is not the Champions League move Dempsey wanted, though it is a raise, a definite step forward and it does not involve selling his family on a move to Sunderland.

[Photo via Getty]