January 4, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Colorado Rapids News Release
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids have signed goalkeeper Zack Steffen to a three-year contract through 2026 with a club option for an additional year, the club announced today. In order to sign Steffen, Colorado first acquired his discovery rights from the New England Revolution in exchange for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM).
“Zack is an elite-level goalkeeper with a wealth of experience internationally and in MLS. His exceptional skills, experience, and proven track record make him a valuable addition to our roster,” said Colorado Rapids President Pádraig Smith. “His character and mentality will greatly benefit our team. We’re thrilled to bolster our backline with his signing and look forward to welcoming him to Colorado.”
Steffen, 28, joins Colorado after four seasons with Manchester City Football Club in the English Premier League. Across 21 appearances for the club, including matches in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Community Shield, he recorded eight clean sheets. Steffen and The Citizens secured the Premier League title for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, clinched the EFL Cup in 2020-21, and were runners-up in the UEFA Champions League for the 2019-20 season.
“We are incredibly happy to bring Zack to the club. He is a top player with big experiences, and we know he will add so much to our group. His quality, leadership and winning mentality will help us for years to come,” said Rapids Head Coach, Chris Armas.
The Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native underwent loan spells at Fortuna Düsseldorf (Bundesliga) and Middlesbrough (EFL Championship). During his time at Fortuna, Steffen made 17 Bundesliga appearances, securing a victory in his debut against Werder Bremen on August 17, 2019 and also made an appearance in the DFB-Pokal. While at Boro, he recorded 10 clean sheets in 45 appearances across the Championship, Championship Playoffs, and the FA Cup.
In the 2019 Secondary Transfer Window, goalkeeper Zack Steffen made a historic move to Manchester City Football Club from Columbus Crew SC, setting the record for the highest transfer fee ever received by an MLS club for a goalkeeper. Steffen, a 2018 MLS All-Star and the 2018 MLS Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year, initially joining Columbus in 2016 as a Discovery Signing. His 2018 season included a 525-minute shutout streak, ranking as the eighth-longest in MLS history, and he…
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