Clint Dempsey will sit out the rest of the 2016 season because of an irregular heartbeat.

Dempsey, 33, was initially sidelined by the symptoms last month but returned to light training on Sept. 14.

Dempsey stopped training last week, leading to Tuesday's announcement.

"We simply haven't got to a point where we were comfortable that there was a realistic chance" of Dempsey returning this year, Lagerwey told reporters. "As we said in the first round of comments, we are not comfortable putting any kind of pressure on this.

"His return to play is not important relative to his health, both short- and long-term. We feel by ruling him out today it puts us in the best position to get him back, hopefully for the start of the 2017 season."