Manchester City are reportedly closing in on Zack Steffen.
According to The Athletic, Manchester City are close to securing a deal to sign Columbus Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen, with the move set to go through on January 1st.
City have a star goalkeeper in Ederson, but his veteran backup Claudio Bravo is injured, and that has forced youngster Arijanet Muric to become City’s backup goalkeeper.
That means that Pep Guardiola may be in the market for a new shot-stopper in January, but few could have predicted that Steffen would be the man for the job.
That seems to be the case though, as The Athletic report that City are close to agreeing a deal with Major League Soccer for the goalkeeper, paying around $7million to $10million (£5.5million and £7.8million).
Steffen, 23, joined Columbus Crew from Freiburg in 2016 and has now not only become one of Major League Soccer’s top goalkeepers, but also a first-choice stopper for the United States.
However, Steffen hasn’t played enough for the USA to qualify for a UK work permit, which means City may face a real wrangle getting him cleared to play in England.
Steffen would be a surprise signing, and may lead some to believe that he will end up being loaned back to MLS with City’s sister club, New York City FC, especially if he needs more caps in order to earn a UK work permit.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
