company at the age of 14. He quickly became “obsessed with technology” and went on to study computer science at the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated at the top of his class. He followed up with a job on Wall Street during the heady years before the 2008 crash.

Keen to understand the business side of the technology world, Rettig veered briefly away from technology to pursue an MBA at Wharton. He then founded a healthcare technology startup, but sold it three years later, disillusioned with a sector which he perceived to be “inefficient, bureaucratic, full of vested interests and risk-averse.” It was, he says, the antitheses of the innovation he was looking for.

Intending to take a year off to “travel, meditate and do a lotSeattle on Saturday but did not play in the Sounders' 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo Sunday at CenturyLink Field.

The former University of Akron star appeared in three of the U.S. team's four games during the 2014 World Cup, drawing recognition from top European sides with his blazing speed and aggressive play. He was also heavily linked to Serie A side Roma.

“I always hoped and dreamed that this would happen, but I never expected it to happen this soon,” Yedlin told Goal USA.

Yedlin becomes the latest American to play at Tottenham, joining a list that includes current Spurs goalkeeper Brad Friedel, Yedlin's Sounders teammate Clint Dempsey and former U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller.