Manchester City have extended the contract of United States goalkeeper Zack Steffen who has been playing second fiddle to the club’s first-choice goalkeeper Ederson for over two years.
Zack Steffen who has been the top choice goalkeeper of the U.S. men’s national team since 2018 signed a new contract with Manchester City which will keep him at the club until June 30, 2025.
The 26-year-old American goalkeeper has been at Manchester City since July 9, 2019, after the Premier League club paid Major League Soccer side, Columbus Crew €6.82 million for his services.
Based on the deal he signed in 2019 which ought to expire on June 30, 2023, Zack Steffen was earning £50,000 per week at the Premier League club.
It is expected that the new deal he signed with the Premier League club in 2021 would earn him more but details of the new deal have not been made public as of the time of publishing this report.
After the American goalkeeper signed the deal, he took to his Instagram page to share pictures showing when he signed the new deal. In the caption, Zack Steffen wrote: “Excited to have signed on with @mancity until 2025! The hard work continues”.
Zack Steffen vows to keep pushing Ederson
Since the arrival of Zack Steffen at Manchester City, he has had to contend with the club’s first-choice goalkeeper Ederson.
Due to the consistency of Ederson, Steffen has managed to make just 16 appearances in all competitions in which he kept 8 clean sheets and conceded 8 goals.
The American goalkeeper has had to go on loan at German Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2019 just to play regularly.
After he signed the contract extension with Manchester City, Steffen told the club’s official website that he would keep pushing Ederson and vowed to take his chances when they come.
“This is a fantastic moment for me,” Steffen said. “I am so happy to be committing my future to Manchester City.
“In my opinion, this is the best team in world football, with the best manager and best coaching setup. It’s a privilege to be here and contribute to this team achieving its targets.
“I feel I learn every day and I have definitely improved as a goalkeeper since coming here. I contributed to our success last season, which was an amazing experience.
“I want to keep pushing Ederson every single day and take my chances when they arrive.”
While Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain described the American goalkeeper as an excellent shot-stopper. He also highlighted some of the attributes that made Zack Steffen an important player in coach Pep Guardiola’s squad.
“Zack is an excellent goalkeeper and a brilliant professional who brings so much to Pep’s squad,” the club’s director said.
“He fits the blueprint of what a Manchester City goalkeeper should be. Not only is great with his hands, but he is also calm on the ball and provides outstanding distribution, which is a vital part of our style.
“This is a man who trains to an exceptionally high standard every single day. He always wants to learn and improve.
“Our coaching staff love having him here and we want to see him continue his development over the next years.”
