USMNT goalkeeper Zack Steffen appears to have found a new home for the 2022-23 season.
The 27-year-old reportedly is set to join EFL Championship side Middlesbrough on loan from Manchester City, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano:
All that’s left is the medical before the move is official, so Steffen will have the opportunity to be a regular starter for a team ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
Since joining City in 2019 on a permanent transfer from Columbus Crew, Steffen has not been the primary option for the Sky Blues. He spent his first season on loan at German side Fortuna Düsseldorf. He made four appearances with City this past season: twice in the Carabao Cup, once in the Premier League and once in the UEFA Champions League.
However, City signed Stefan Ortega from Arminia Bielefeld of the Bundesliga this summer to be the primary backup for first-choice goalie Ederson, pushing Steffen down the pecking order.
Steffen will become Middlesbrough’s new No. 1 for at least one season after the team finished seventh in the Championship last year, just one spot away from the playoffs.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Fellow USMNT goalies Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath also joined new teams this summer. Turner signed with Arsenal on a permanent deal from New England Revolution while Horvath joined Luton Town of the Championship on loan from Nottingham Forest, one of the newly promoted teams to the Premier League.
All three are hoping to make Gregg Berhalter’s squad in Qatar.
