Report: USSF hiring Matt Crocker of Premier League's Southampton as sporting director

The U.S. Soccer Federation will hire Matt Crocker as its next sporting director, The Athletic and ESPN report.

USSF has not confirmed the planned hire. A formal announcement is expected in the coming days, according to the reports.

Crocker, 48, will join USSF from his role as director of football operations for the Premier League's Southampton. He'll replace Earnie Stewart, who stepped down as USSF sporting director in January to join PSV Eindhoven in his native Netherlands.

In his new role, Crocker will oversee all 27 U.S. national teams from youth teams to the mens's and women's national teams. One of his first tasks will be to take over the search for a full-time USMNT head coach. Interim coach Anthony Hudson has led the team since the expiration of Gregg Berhalter's contract following last year's World Cup.

Berhalter remains eligible to return to his role, but his status is in limbo following the conclusion of an investigation into a 1992 incident in which Berhalter has since admitted to kicking his now-wife in the legs while they were freshmen in college. The investigation cleared him of any further wrongdoing.

Crocker has an extensive history of identifying and developing young talent. He oversaw the men's, women's and youth programs for Southhampton. Prior to joining Southampton in his current role in 2020, he spent seven years with England's Football Association, where he oversaw multiple men's and women's youth programs. He announced in December that he would be leaving Southhampton at the conclusion of the season in May.

He spent a prior stint with Southampton from 2006-13 as an academy manager, where he helped develop notable players including Gareth Bale and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.