Bayer Leverkusen let Echeverri go, River keep a close eye 👀 | OneFootball

After the tough elimination against Racing last Monday, River has finished its official activities for the year and busy days are ahead. Marcelo Gallardo will inform some players that they will not continue at the club in 2026 and, in the meantime, the management will start working to secure some key reinforcements. Among the possible options is Claudio Echeverri, who could be about to take the first step towards a dream return to Núñez.

“El Diablito” is currently on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, but he has not managed to establish himself in the first team’s rotation. With few minutes on the pitch, his stay at the German club no longer makes sense for Manchester City, who owns his rights. For this reason, both parties are reportedly close to agreeing on an early termination of the loan, which was originally set to last another seven months.

The 2023/24 Bundesliga champions would not put up any obstacles to let the 19-year-old from Chaco leave. The truth is that he hasn’t played in the last three matches and has only made eight appearances so far this semester, with just three starts. Having fallen down the pecking order under coach Kasper Hjulmand, his departure seems increasingly likely.

If this happens and he returns to Manchester City, only then could River step in. The “Millonario,” with a different budget and a showcase very different from what European football can offer, is waiting for the outcome of this story. They know that Echeverri wants to come back and are considering offering a loan deal for the youngster who left with unfinished business.

It’s worth remembering that the 19-year-old from Chaco was sold to the English side at the beginning of 2024 for around 18.5 million euros, after some statements about not renewing his contract left him in a bad light with River fans. He stayed at Núñez on loan for a year until the beginning of 2025, when he moved to Europe.

Since then, he spent the first six months with almost no playing time under Josep Guardiola and, after the Club World Cup—where he scored his only goal on the Old Continent—he moved to Bayer Leverkusen. There, he has played just eight matches in nearly five months and his future remains uncertain. That’s why, and to improve his image at the club that developed him and of which he is a fan, Echeverri dreams of returning—and, in the process, relaunching his career.

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