Claudio Echeverri and Manchester City hold clash of opinion on Argentine’s next loan club | OneFootball

Manchester City could find themselves at the centre of yet another disagreement with Claudio Echeverri over where his future best lies beyond the turn of the year.

The situation follows confirmation that City have opted to terminate Echeverri’s loan at Bayer Leverkusen, bringing an end to a difficult few months in Germany. Despite positive internal assessments of his training levels and attitude, the Argentine struggled for meaningful minutes in a crowded attacking setup.

As previously reported, City have been aligned internally on the belief that Echeverri’s development is best served in Europe, with consistent competitive exposure viewed as non-negotiable. Pep Guardiola has publicly stressed frustration at past interference from the player’s representation, particularly during the decision-making process that led to the Leverkusen loan rather than a move within the City Football Group (CFG).

That background has set the tone for the latest round of uncertainty surrounding the 19-year-old. While City officials are keen to quickly resolve the matter and place Echeverri in an environment that guarantees regular minutes, claims from close to the player have repeatedly pointed to a strong emotional pull towards a return to South America.

Now, after Claudio Echeverri’s loan contract at Bayer Leverkusen was terminated by Manchester City, journalist Cesar Luis Merlo has claimed River Plate – the player’s wish – and Girona – the preference of Etihad Stadium officials – are the Argentine’s possible destinations.

The contrasting preferences highlight a growing divergence between City’s planning and Echeverri’s short-term priorities. From City’s perspective, Girona an aligned option, offering La Liga exposure, familiarity with CFG principles, and a manager who has a strong record of integrating young attacking players.

Conversely, a return to River Plate would provide immediate continuity and guaranteed prominence for Echeverri, something he seemingly values highly after a frustrating spell in Germany.

However, Manchester City have so far shown little appetite to sanction a move back to Argentina in the short term, having consistently ruled out that pathway in favour of maintaining his European trajectory.

With the January transfer window now approaching rapidly, City are expected to move decisively to avoid another stalled loan. Whether that means pushing through a Girona agreement or exploring alternative European options will likely depend on how firm the club remain in resisting the player’s wishes.