Manchester City attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri is part of Pep Guardiola’s plans in the new year. According to transfer watcher Fabrizio Romano, the 18-year-old is in demand as a loan option but all offers are being rejected by the Premier League leaders.
Echeverri signed for Manchester City in January and has remained at River Plate on a loan agreement that’s due to end after one year. River Plate’s interest in keeping Echeverri on in 2025 has been rebuffed.
Nicknamed El Diablito (the Little Devil), Echeverri signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at the Etihad Stadium and will return from Buenos Aires to join up with his new team-mates when his loan expires.
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Echeverri has been a regular starter for River Plate in 2024, starting ten league games and seven ties in the Copa Libertadores. He’s scored four times in all competitions for his club and featured at the Summer Olympics for his country.
He played only a handful of minutes in three appearances off the bench in France but a promising international career awaits if City’s refusal to extend his absence is any indication.
Argentina has been a reliable source of title winners for City. Pablo Zabaleta, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero, Martin Dimichelis, Nicolas Otamendi and Julian Alvarez have all contributed to the success of the eight-time Premier League winners.
Unusually in the modern City era, Echeverri will hook up with a City squad devoid of Argentinian players and with Brazilians Savinho and Ederson as the only South American representation.
The teenager has some defensive development to do but his potency in possession is already starting to show through. He’s racking up the attacking numbers back home, ranking well in Argentina’s top flight for take-ons and shot-creating actions.
He’s also making himself attractive to Guardiola with more than 50 passes attempted per 90 minutes over the last year, most of them progressive and usually completed. His efficiency with the ball gives him every chance of fitting right in at the Etihad.
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Manchester City take on Bournemouth in Premier League action without Echeverri on Saturday. By the time they meet again in May, the youngster might well be in the frame.
In the meantime, Echeverri and River Plate exited the Libertadores this week and return to league action at home against Banfield on Saturday.
