Gregg Berhalter reportedly is seeking a financial recommitment from the United States Soccer Federation coming off of the USMNT's performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Berhalter, who became manager of the United States men's national team in December 2018, has led the Americans to a 37-11-12 overall record with a +77 goal differential over the past four years. The team finished second in Group B and reached the round of 16 in Qatar after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia under the guidance of Bruce Arena.
Berhalter, 49, is set to begin discussions on a new contract, according to ESPN's Jeffrey Carlisle.
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Berhalter's existing deal ends at the end of 2022, which puts the ball largely in the USSF's court to get a deal done soon as the United States is scheduled to host friendlies against Serbia and Colombia at the end of January 2023.
Berhalter, who played collegiately at the University of North Carolina in the early 1990s and coached the MLS' Columbus Crew from 2014 to 2018, came to the USMNT at arguably its lowest point in 2018.
After qualifying for seven consecutive FIFA World Cups between 1990 and 2014, the United States lost 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in October 2017 -- a loss that would cost them a chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
The USMNT qualified for this year's World Cup by qualifying over Costa Rica in goal differential. A 2-0 win over Mexico in November 2021 -- perhaps Berhalter's best moment as a manager before Qatar -- saw the Americans celebrate a Gold Cup win.
At the 2022 World Cup, the U.S. squad defeated Iran in a win-or-go home match in Group play to qualify for the round of 16. Disappointment ensued as the team fell 3-1 to the Netherlands in the first match of the 2022 World Cup's knockout round.
The USMNT's 2022 World Cup results were strong enough to trigger Berhalter's interest in exploring European club options, Carlisle reported.
Berhalter, a member of the United States' 2002 and 2006 World Cup squads, said the 2022 performance marked progress for the country's soccer program.
“When you think about this group and how they’ve come together over the last three and half years, it’s really special to see,” he said. “You don’t often get a bond like that between teammates and the staff and everyone.”
“When people look at our team they see a clear identity, they see guys that fight for each other, they see the talent on the field, you know,” he added. “We made progress but on this particular night we came up short.”
