MANCHESTER City goalkeeper Zack Steffen has helped launch an anti-racism project in the United States which creator Common Goal wants to expand to Britain and the rest of the world.

The global social impact collective, which has the likes of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Manchester United player Juan Mata and women’s team manager Casey Stoney, and Chelsea forward Timo Werner among its members, has set up the Anti-Racist Project.

It involves a groundbreaking coalition with, among others, Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, new National Women’s Soccer League side Angel City and former USA international Tony Sanneh, which aims to fund and implement anti-racist training for players, coaches, fans, club staff and executives from grassroots to elite level.

Steffen, one of the first players to pledge his individual support for the project, said: “There’s been so much talk over the last months about racism in soccer and beyond, and enough is enough. It’s time to take action.

“We need to show people how to be anti-racist. I wanted to join this project because it is the kind of collective action necessary to make large-scale change.

“I hope that this project will go worldwide and create a new culture of inclusion in as many countries as possible.”

“We do see this expanding outside the borders of the United States to address the particular issues in each home country.”

Meanwhile Aston Villa have reported “sickening and abhorrent” online racist abuse of teenage winger Tyreik Wright to West Midlands Police.

The  club said the messages received on Wright’s Instagram account had also been flagged to the social media platform.

A club statement read: “Aston Villa Football Club is appalled by the racist abuse of one our academy players, Tyreik Wright.

“Tyreik, who is currently on loan at Walsall, received sickening and abhorrent messages via his Instagram account, messages which the club have reported to both the social media platform and West Midlands Police.

“The club is liaising with WMP’s Hate Crime Unit who are now investigating this incident.

“Aston Villa will work alongside Walsall FC to provide Tyreik with any support he requires and will continue to do everything we can to report and help root out all forms of discrimination.”