US national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen has sustained another knee injury during training with Fortuna Dusseldorf as the German Bundesliga inches closer to restarting its season, the club revealed Monday on Twitter.
The club characterized the ailment as an "inner ligament injury." It's not yet clear whether it's related to a previous knee injury earlier this season that kept Steffen out following the Bundesliga winter break.
Steffen is on loan to Dusseldorf from Manchester City. In February, he had traveled back to Manchester to undergo further testing on the previous knee flare up.
Steffen started all 17 matches in the first half of the league season before the winter layoff, and was largely praised for his play despite his team allowing 36 goals.
Dusseldorf are currently amid a relegation battle, sitting third from bottom with nine matches left to play. If the season ended today, they would play in the two-leg promotion/relegation playoff against the third-place finisher from the 2. Bundesliga.
Prior to his move to Germany via Manchester, Steffen had emerged as a favorite selection of US coach Gregg Berhalter, who also oversaw the goalkeeper when both men were with Columbus Crew SC.
Steffen started five of six matches at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup, and also got the nod in a game during last fall's Concacaf Nations League A group phase.
