Sources: Revolution set to hire Brad Friedel as head coach

The former U.S. national team goalkeeper will take over after the team fired Jay Heaps prior to the end of the 2017 campaign

The New Revolution have hired Brad Friedel as their new head coach, sources have confirmed to Goal.

The former U.S. national team goalkeeper and longtime Premier League standout will take over the Revs in what will be his first professional head coaching job. Friedel spent the past two years coaching the U.S. Under-19 national team along with working as a television analyst for Fox.

Sources tell Goal that New England chose Friedel after initially reaching out to former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena about the job. After some initial discussions with Arena, the Revs ultimately decided to hire Friedel. An announcement could come as soon as Friday.

ESPN analyst and former Revolution star Taylor Twellman first reported Monday that Friedel was the front-runner for the position.

At the top of @NERevolution "wish list" for their head coach position is @friedel_b. #NERevs #MLS — Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) November 6, 2017

The 46-year-old World Cup veteran returns to 20 years after leaving the league as a player with the to embark on what would wind up being a record-setting career in Europe. He retired with after the 2014-15 season, having spent time with Spurs, , Blackburn and .

A U.S. international who starred at the 2002 World Cup, Friedel will look to help turn around a New England team that endured another disappointing season, which saw the firing of longtime coach Jay Heaps. Assistant coach Tom Soehn delivered good results during his stint in charge late in 2017 but was ultimately passed over for the job after being interviewed for the position. Soehn and assistant coach Carlos Llamosa were let go by the Revs on Monday.

New York Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese, U.S. national team assistant Pat Noonan, San Jose assistant Steve Ralston and U.S. U-18 coach Omid Namazi were among the other candidates to interview for the position.