I’m thinking your friend needs to do his FAA ATP concurrent with his type rating.
He meets the prerequisites which is an ICAO ATP.
It circumnavigates the entire expired MEL issue.
I’m on my phone in a foreign land with lots of blocked websites but to the best of my recollection he can do the written without the required training course as he holds a Foreign ATP already.
Let him get in touch with the US based Training provider.