Pep Guardiola will sign a £12.5 million midfielder for Manchester City in the January transfer window.
Claudio Echeverri’s loan with River Plate will conclude in January, and Pep Guardiola will finally welcome him to Manchester City.
The Premier League champions paid £12.5 million to sign the midfielder back in January.
The arrangement permitted the teenager to stay with River Plate and continue his growth, but when 2024 comes to an end, Echeverri will relocate to Manchester.
If he impresses in training, he might make his first-team debut before the end of the season, as City continues to target the South American market.
Echeverri has represented Argentina’s youth ranks and captained his country at the U17 World Cup.
They discovered a hidden treasure when they recruited Julian Alvarez in 2022. The striker helped them win the league, scoring 36 goals in two seasons.
Echeverri will be competing for playing time in the middle of the park, where City is lacking following Rodri’s season-ending injury.
Guardiola has shown a willingness to give young players a chance, with Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb among the most recent academy graduates.
Similarly, the Catalan has proved that he can be cautious when it comes to introducing his young players.
Much has been made of how long it took Phil Foden to become a regular, and Guardiola will most certainly give the Argentine minutes as he develops.
Martin Demichelis, a former City defender, managed River Plate until July 2024 and is happy about what the youngster may accomplish if he joins the Manchester club.
He said: “Claudio is truly one of the great emerging talents in River’s football.
We have an excellent squad that consistently develops technically brilliant players.
However, the day-to-day frenzy at River necessitates not only winning but also being a protagonist in a very unique style, attempting to play effectively.
I believe that when you leave River well-formed, you are ready for anything, and Claudio is still in the process of evolving.
He has taken a tremendous technical leap in recent months, and he is a marvel.
