USA goalkeeper Zack Steffen a shock transfer target for Man City following Claudio Bravo’s season-ending injury
Pep Guardiola targets £5million Columbus Crew goalie to back up Ederson at Etihad
PEP GUARDIOLA has targeted USA goalkeeper Zack Steffen as a shock No2 at the Etihad.
The Manchester City boss has stepped up moves for back-up to Ederson following injury to Claudio Bravo.
And Columbus Crew’s Steffen, 23, is being lined up for a £5million move to the Premier League champions.
City’s scouts have faith in the MLS star being a star of the future and want to secure his future before sorting out a work permit.
Pep would ideally want Steffen as No2 for the second half of the season as Bravo is expected to miss the campaign with a ruptured Achilles suffered during a freak training-ground friendly.
He could keep Arijanet Muric as back-up until Steffen is eligible, as Steffen needs to play in 75% of internationals in the last two years or appeal as a "special talent" exemption.
But targeting a player - who had a spell with Freiberg in Germany when Pep was with Bayern Munich - shows how highly he is regarded as a long-term keeper.
Steffen told the official MLS website: “I learned, at least in Germany, how the soccer life is over there and how they work and what Europe is like and what life is like off the pitch over there. So that definitely is in the back of my mind for the future.”
Bristol City had a £3million bid for him rejected by Columbus in the summer - and his reputation has grown since with his displays in MLS.
Pep was plunged into a keeper crisis at the start of the season after Bravo’s injury.
The Chile keeper barely touched the ball in the first 20 minutes of a match between first-team against reserves, then disaster struck when he collected the ball and picked up a serious injury.
Joe Hart and Angus Gunn’s departures left Guardiola needing to recall Muric from NAC Breda in Holland, with the keeper going onto make his Kosovo debut in the recent international break.