Leicester City hold firm transfer interest in Manchester City goalkeeper

Manchester City and United States international goalkeeper Zack Steffen is at the centre of ‘firm’ transfer interest from Leicester City, according to reports.

The 28-year-old shot-stopper is facing a crossroads in his career in Europe this summer, after concluding a promising loan spell at Premier League-chasing Middlesbrough during the last campaign.

Steffen was largely the mainstay between the sticks for the Riverside Stadium club as they reached the Championship play-off semi-finals last season, narrowly losing out to Coventry City for a place in the showpiece Wembley final.

But with Ederson retaining the number one spot at the Etihad Stadium, Stefan Ortega Moreno proving to be a hit as a back-up option, and Scott Carson an integral member of the dressing room, Zack Steffen is quite clearly out of favour at Manchester City.

As such, the USA international goalkeeper will almost certainly have to seek another move away from the club in the coming weeks, if he is to secure consistent top-level European game-time during the forthcoming 2023/24 season.

According to a new report from John Percy and Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, Leicester City have a ‘firm interest’ in Zack Steffen this summer, with new head coach Enzo Maresca knowing the goalkeeper from their time together at Manchester City.

It is stated that Manchester City would consider a permanent deal for the 28-year-old, in a move that would bring an end to his four-year stay at the home of the Premier League champions.

Steffen initially joined City in the summer of 2019 on a four-year deal from American side Columbus Crew SC for a fee understood to be in the region of £7 milion. Spending the 2019/20 season on loan with Fortuna Dusseldorf, Steffen made17 appearances in the Bundesliga.

Upon his return from loan, Steffen went on to make 12 appearances during his first season with Manchester City, including playing in the Carabao Cup final victory over Tottenham, before adding a further nine appearances in 2021/22.

Manchester City are unlikely to seek a replacement for Steffen should a deal come to fruition in the coming weeks, although the future of fellow goalkeeper James Trafford is still to be decided, with the promising talent currently away on England under-21 international duty.