Zak Steffen is being backed for success at Manchester City.

Steffen spent this season on-loan with Fortuna Dusseldorf before injury forced him back to City.

Fortuna director Lutz Pfannenstiel told ESPN: "I'm very happy and very proud that we took him into Dusseldorf. He had a great start of the season. Unfortunately he had some problems with his knee, he just got another knee injury but nothing that serious.

"But I really believe in the tradition of good goalkeepers in the States, Zack Steffen will fill the big shoes of Tim Howard.

"I believe that he has everything to be a complete goalkeeper. He's very modern. Very good with his feet and playing goalkeeper. Very active. Maybe not as aggressive as Tim Howard, but definitely a goalkeeper which has a very, very big future.

"I always say, if a manager like Pep Guardiola likes Zack Steffen … that alone shows of his quality."