Manchester City have reportedly sealed a deal for their next South American wonderkid as details regarding midfielder Claudio Echeverri’s proposed move to the Etihad Stadium emerged.
Premier League champions City are looking to follow the template that saw them sign Julian Alvarez, as they have gone back to River Plate to land another of Argentina’s most highly-rated youngsters in a move which is expected to be confirmed this month.
As was the case when they signed World Cup winner Alvarez two years ago, City will loan Echeverri back to the Buenos Aires side, with the 18-year-old set to remain in Argentina for the next 12 months before linking up with City in January 2025.
River’s sporting director Enzo Francescoli spoke to SportCenter (via ESPN Deportes) to confirm that a deal will go through and the youngster will remain at his club for the next year.
"He is very calm, I see him the same as last year,” Francescoli said. “Obviously he must have his internal things. But he deserves it, he is a great boy. He is very well, with his feet on the ground beyond what happens to him at 18 years old, which is a lot. I spoke to him a couple of days ago. He is very well, calm."
Francescoli also addressed criticism from his side’s fans who are frustrated at seeing another young player depart for Europe.
"I understand,” he continued. “People get impatient and don't know how things happen. There is no longer an ideal world as always imagined. You have to live with globalization, on a day-to-day basis. The same thing happens in football. Nobody should be surprised. It is very difficult to sustain long-term projects.
"The inevitable ones are these, players like Claudio who surprise, who excite many people. Distant markets and others closer like the Brazilian, which has more economic power than us and has an easier path in the economic part. River has that condition to at least consider having him play for a year.
"A sale without going to the clause as is mostly the desire, very similar money and he stays with us for one more year. Things have been done well, with the boy's will, his representative and City, who could have waited six months to take him. You have to take a lot of things into account. Today the market and the Argentine situation, too.
"The sale is very good economically. We know the conditions he has, but he is only 18 years old. You cannot put a clause of 100 million on the players like in Europe, which has high salaries. It is not that easy."
Pep Guardiola will be hoping that Echeverri can follow in the footsteps of Alvarez, who made his City debut in the 2022 Community Shield when he scored the winner against Liverpool. Since then he has established himself as a key player in Guardiola’s first-team picture, bagging 13 goals across all competitions so far this season.
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