Zack Steffen is unlikely to ever play for Man City. So why did he join them?

The goalkeeper is one of the US’s most promising players. But he’s more than likely swapping a starring role in MLS for a loan move from City

Pep Guardiola knows what he likes in a goalkeeper. The Manchester City manager has changed the way football looks at the art of keeping. It’s now about more than just making saves, punching clear corners and screaming instructions at dim-witted centre backs. Just ask Claudio Bravo, who lost his starting place just one season after a high-profile move from Barcelona, Ederson, who is almost as good with his feet as he is with his hands, now holds the position, and he is often higher up the pitch than most defenders.

Is this what led Guardiola – or should we say City Football Group (CFG) - to Zack Steffen? The Columbus Crew goalkeeper will leave MLS for City in July 2019. CFG expect a certain standard for their teams and so it makes sense that they want to sign Steffen, who was named the 2018 Goalkeeper of the Year in MLS. He might be raw and prone to the odd blunder, but the 23-year-old possesses a level of technical ability that conforms to Guardiola’s philosophy. He’s not a bad shot-stopper either. Steffen is expected to follow the likes of Kasey Keller, Tim Howard and Brad Guzan as America’s next great goalkeeper.

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