Echeverri keen on River return: what are the chances for a 2026 move | OneFootball

Just 11 months after leaving, Claudio Echeverri already wants to return to River. The suggestive post on his Instagram account was a signal that, over time, turned into news that shook the Monumental. The "Diablito" doesn't have the playing time he desires at Bayer Leverkusen and has already explicitly expressed to his circle the desire to wear the red band again. His transfer belongs to Manchester City, and the only way he could return would be on loan. Could it happen?

The truth is that what started as a rumor became a surprise in Núñez, where they know it's not yet time to start looking for reinforcements for 2026. Amid the conclusion of the Torneo Clausura, Marcelo Gallardo is focused on trying to guide the team to the next Copa Libertadores and to compete for the title in the playoffs, for which they have not yet qualified.

At first glance, Diablito's willingness is a good first step to dream of his return. The second would be the intention of "Muñeco" or the new management to seek him out, but that's where the positive signs would end. Manchester City intends for him to remain in European football and does not want him to return to a league they believe would not aid his development.

Echeverri is currently sidelined at Bayer Leverkusen, where he is on loan until mid-2026. Since his arrival in the Bundesliga mid-year, he has played only six matches, and in the last five, including the recent victory against Paderborn in the German Cup, he stayed on the bench without playing a single minute. Therefore, his desire is to leave.

The hourglass, with a heart and an arrow with the inscription "back" under a black and white photo of him kissing the River jersey, was telling. The 19-year-old from Chaco did not have the European arrival he dreamed of, and that's why he wants to return to the place where he was happy, even though his time there left something to be desired.

Diablito Echeverri played 48 matches with the River jersey, since his debut on June 22, 2023, against Instituto, with Martín Demichelis as coach. Until his departure at the end of 2024, with Gallardo already on the bench, he scored four goals and won the 2023 Professional League, the Argentine Super Cup, and the Champions Trophy.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.