Zack Steffen heading to Manchester for tests on persistent knee injury

Zack Steffen - US national team - pointing

Fortuna Dusseldorf goalkeeper Zack Steffen will be heading to Manchester to get further tests on a knee injury that has sidelined him since the Bundesliga started back up after its winter break, the club confirmed Tuesday.


The US men’s national team No. 1 goalkeeper and former Columbus Crew SC standout last featured for Dusseldorf, where he’s spending the season on loan from Manchester City, in a 2-1 win over Union Berlin Dec. 22.


Steffen missed the USMNT Concacaf Nations League match against Canada in November with knee tendonitis, coach Gregg Berhalter said at the time.


Fortuna Dusseldorf physiotherapist Lucas Trittel will accompany Steffen to Manchester. Both club’s sporting directors — Lutz Pfannenstiel for Dusseldorf and Txiki Begiristain for Man City — have mutually agreed on the procedure.


Steffen has impressed in his second stint in Germany after struggling at SC Freiburg where he played fresh out of college.


He’s been Dusseldorf’s first-choice goalkeeper and started the club’s first 17 league matches, posting a 0.88 goals against average. He also started in a DFB-Pokal first round extratime win to FC 08 Villingen in August.


Steffen missed the Round of 16 victory Feb. 4 because of the knee injury.