Dempsey fears

Football: Seattle Sounders and US national team forward Clint Dempsey is undergoing medical evaluations for an irregular heartbeat, the club announced yesterday, and has been ruled out for this weekend’s match at Portland at the very least. A more specific recovery timetable – be it for early next month, later this season or beyond – is on hold until Dempsey undergoes further testing. ‘‘We need to let the doctors do their thing now, and they’ll recommend a course of treatment,’’ Seattle general manager Garth Lagerwey said. ‘‘We’ll go from there. Let’s get to the bottom of this, let’s see what’s going on and let’s do what’s best for Clint.’’ Dempsey, 33, played in all 90 minutes of Seattle’s 3-1 win against Portland last Sunday at CenturyLink Field but did not travel with the team to its midweek game at Houston.