Fulham manager Martin Jol has confirmed that discussions have begun with Clint Dempsey over a contract extension.
Having scored 18 goals this season and admitted in January that he would like to play in the UEFA Champions League before the end of his career, it is possible that the American could attract interest from elsewhere.
Dempsey is under contract at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2013 but he has become such an important player for the club that Jol wants to secure his services for longer.
The Dutchman is hopeful that fresh terms can be agreed after opening talks over a new three-year deal, while he has also spoken to a number of other players about their futures as he looks to keep Fulham pushing forward.
"We are talking to him," said Jol. "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.
"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.
"I hope the four or five players we are talking to will stay. I am confident they will. They realise it is a very good club."
