Zack Steffen: "I'd love another season at Fortuna Düsseldorf if we stay in Bundesliga"
Zack Steffen would love to stay at Fortuna Düsseldorf next season, but only if the club secures its Bundesliga status this term, the USA international goalkeeper has said.
Düsseldorf find themselves third-from-bottom of the Bundesliga table at the halfway stage of the season, and have the third-worst defensive record in the German top flight.
Friedhelm Funkel's side would surely have found themselves in greater difficulty but for Steffen, who ranks second among the Bundesliga's goalkeepers for shots saved.
The USMNT goalkeeper is on loan for the 2019/20 campaign from Manchester City and is due to return to the English Premier League champions in the summer.
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However, with Ederson likely to remain a firm first-choice with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium for the foreseeable future, Steffen would welcome another season in Düsseldorf, just as long as it means still being able to play in the Bundesliga.
"I don't know what will happen next season yet. It's too early for a decision, but everything is possible," the 24-year-old told BILD. "As a young goalkeeper, I need games and experience at the top level. That's what I'm getting at Fortuna. I have a good situation here."
He added: "Extending my contract here would only be an option if we stay in the Bundesliga."
After an unhappy 18-month stint at Freiburg, Steffen returned to the USA in summer 2016 and starred for Columbus Crew in the MLS.
He joined City in July 2019 and was immediately loaned to Düsseldorf, which has proven a far better fit for him than the Black Forest.
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"Düsseldorf is a cool city. I love water, I like being by the Rhine. There are good restaurants and a lot of things to do," explained the Pennsylvania native, who lives with his sister. "That gives me the feeling of being at home."
Not everything is rosy, however, for Steffen, who was an ever-present in Düsseldorf's opening 17 matches of the season.
"The weather in winter is awful," he said. "Only rain, no sun."
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