Gregg Berhalter is set to return as manager of the United States men’s national team, a source has told ESPN.
The source confirmed to ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap a Thursday report by The Athletic that the return of the 49-year-old manager who led the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup will be announced by U.S. Soccer on Friday.
Sources added that the deal was close to being finalized and would run through the 2026 World Cup.
Berhalter, 49, stepped away from the team at the end of December when his contract expired, with a pair of interim managers in Anthony Hudson and then B.J. Callaghan overseeing the U.S. side.
The former Columbus Crew manager had been in limbo since the end of 2022 and was also at the center an investigation into allegations of domestic violence against him from 1992 involving his now-wife, Rosalind, when they were students at the University of North Carolina.
The investigation concluded that the Berhalters responded truthfully during the investigation, confirming that the incident took place, with the USSF stating that Berhalter was still a candidate to resume his post as U.S. manager.
The U.S. is currently competing at the Concacaf Nations League finals in Las Vegas under Callaghan.
Earlier on Thursday, Jesse Marsch’s agent said his client, who had been considered a leading candidate for the job, was no longer in the running, before the news about Berhalter’s return began to break.
ESPN writer Jeff Carlisle contributed to this story.