USA football president Sunil Gulati admits they considered possible interest from Tottenham Hotspur in their national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann before he signed a new deal that will keep him State side until 2018.

Following Andre Villas-Boas' dismissal on Monday morning a number of coaches have been immediately linked with taking the reins at White Hart Lane including the former Germany international, who became a cult hero during his two spells at the club.

But having signed a new four year contract with the USA just last week, chances of the 49-year-old returning to north London remain hopeful at best. And Gulati, who was aware of the possibility of interest from the Premier League and from Switzerland, insists the decision to extend Klinsmann's tenure was one based on merit, and not simply just to safeguard one of their most valuable assets.

"We've obviously read some of those things," Gulati said when asked of interest in the USA national team coach, Sky Sports report.

"On a specific level, none of those things were critical to us. The desire to make sure we had a long term commitment from Jurgen, and he had one from us, was part of it, and market dynamic does dictate some of that.

"So we're not oblivious to the fact that Jurgen over the last two years has had an extraordinary run with the national team and that would bring a lot of interest from the outside.

"Sure, some of that matters, but not specifically the Switzerland or Tottenham issues, but generally a coach who has done very well, that has an international reputation, who speaks multiple languages would be sought after.

"So the desire to have a commitment from him, contractually, for a long period of time, that matters, of course."

In the wake of Villas-Boas' dismissal, Tim Sherwood has been handed the interim managerial role ahead of Tottenham's Capital One Cup clash with West Ham United on Wednesday. Fabio Capello and Glenn Hoddle remain the favourites to take on the role permanently.

However, Guus Hiddink has been effectively ruled out of the running after his agent played down a potential appointment, after the Dutchman recently agreed to take over the Dutch national team after next summer's World Cup.

Tottenham