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Jurgen Klinsmann is free to rescue England from their Euro 2016 nightmare.

Germany legend Klinsmann, who is now the bookmaker’s favourite to replace Roy Hodgson, has a contract with the United States' national team which runs until the end of the next World Cup in 2018.

But a simmering row with boss Sunil Gulati, the head of US Soccer, has ensured no one will stand in his way.

In fact, Gulati won’t shed a tear if Klinsmann takes charge of the Three Lions as it would allow him to strike a hefty compensation deal with the FA.

The 51-year-old former Tottenham striker has been sounded out as the race to replace hapless Hodgson heats up.

(Image: Alexander Hassenstein - FIFA)

And the delegation, led by technical director Dan Ashworth, will be boosted to discover Gulati and Klinsmann’s relationship is at breaking point.

FA chief executive Martin Glenn, vice-chairman David Gill and Ashworth plan to have a short-list of candidates in place this week.

Glenn and Gill are in Paris for Sunday’s Euro 2016 final between France and Portugal.

They have not ruled anything out – including the possibility of asking Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate to take charge on a temporary basis if a new man is not in place by the time England kick-off their World Cup qualifying campaign in Slovakia in September, despite the former England defender having already said he doesn't want to do that.

High-level sources inside the FA insist they will not consider any candidate they believe to be “mercenary” but are refusing to rule out another continental coach following in the footsteps of Swede Sven Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

(Image: Getty)

The source said: “We want the best man for the job and making a foreign appointment hasn’t been ruled out.

“But the new manager has to show a genuine commitment to the philosophy we have put in place at St George’s Park that links all the England teams, from the senior squad downwards.”

(Image: Mirrorpix) (Image: Getty)

Former Germany captain Klinsmann is seething with his paymasters after Gulati bizarrely chose the day of a crunch Copa America group match against Costa Rica last month to publicly discuss his unhappiness at the USA’s up and down form.

Taking the England job would see his current annual wage of £1.8million doubled, though he remains very settled in California — where he moved with his American wife after the 1998 World Cup.

(Image: Reuters) (Image: Getty)

Klinsmann is more than just a coach – he has an all-encompassing role with the USA which has seen his revolutionise the nation's coaching and scouting networks to a level never seen before.

The hands-on boss has loved working with all ages from Under-15s right up to the seniors, in a bid to elevate the US from also-rans to serious World Cup contenders.

Perhaps tellingly, Klinsmann, who has previously wasted no time in shooting down links with other jobs on social media, has failed to rule himself out.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

US Soccer were maintaining on Saturday night that nothing has changed.

Yet a source told Mirror Sport: “Everything depends on what is offered and when. It’s impossible to say that anyone would stand in his way.”

Certainly, US soccer fans would be pleased to see him go.

Klinsmann has been blasted for failing to take the team forward since reaching the knockout stage at the World Cup in Brazil two years ago.

He’s perceived to be tactically inept and too much of a tinkerman.

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And his assertion that American stars need to quit Major League Soccer and play abroad to develop their skills has angered many involved in the domestic competition there.

MLS commissioner Don Garber is not a huge fan either and his closeness with Gulati means two of the most powerful men in the American game will be pushing for change.

Both have been frustrated with results.

Klinsmann was hammered for botching an attempt to qualify for next summer’s Confederation Cup, and crashing to Guatemala in a World Cup qualifier earlier this year was a severe setback.

A policy of recruiting players who have never played in their home country - six of his 23-strong World Cup squad played youth football for other nations - has also attracted fierce criticism.

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The US finished a credible fourth at the recent Copa America on home soil, yet a crushing 2-0 defeat to Colombia in the opening game, followed by a 4-0 thrashing by Argentina in the semi-finals, showed just how far Klinsmann’s men are from really competing at the highest level.

He knows unless he delivers something sensational at the World Cup in Russia, there will be no new contract offer.

England’s interest couldn’t have been timed any better.