Claudio Echeverri identifies next club with Bayer Leverkusen exit targeted amid difficult Manchester City loan | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Claudio Echeverri has his eyes set on one particular club amid a difficult ongoing loan spell with Bayer Leverkusen, according to reports.

The teenage sensation has faced an uphill challenge in Germany so far, with limited minutes slowing his adaptation to top-level European football, with the expectation being for the Argentine to benefit from a developmental loan before returning to City with greater experience.

However, his situation has sparked renewed questioning over his short-term future after previous reports suggested Echeverri was keen on a La Liga move to Girona during the summer, only for his agent to steer him towards Leverkusen instead.

Claudio Echeverri arrived at Manchester City in January following intense competition for his signature one year prior, remaining on loan with River Plate after formally penning an agreement with the Etihad Stadium club.

The teenager impressed early with a goal at the Club World Cup against Al Ain and appearances in the Premier League and FA Cup. The plan at the Etihad Stadium was always to secure the 19-year-old regular, competitive minutes abroad to build on his early momentum, with City Football Group clubs originally explored as options.

However, Bayer Leverkusen’s cross-squad struggles and attacking depth has limited the youngster’s involvement, resulting in frustration from both the player’s camp and growing speculation over whether the choice of destination best served Echeverri’s development.

His situation mirrors Manchester City’s delicate balancing act with elite prospects, ensuring high-potential talents like Echeverri receive both exposure and meaningful game-time, while navigating strong interest from top European clubs.

Now, according to the information of journalist Renzo Pantich, Claudio Echeverri wants a return to his former club River Plate in Argentina and has already started to ‘exert pressure’ from his side regarding such aims.

However, it is stressed that for the moment, River officials have not made any moves for the Manchester City midfielder, largely due to the club not expecting such a scenario to emerge following his exit from the country in January.

Unsurprisingly, it is also reported that Echeverri’s position has come about with the player ‘unhappy’ with his lack of minutes at Bayer Leverkusen, who he joined on a season-long loan from the Etihad Stadium in the summer months.

A return to River Plate so soon after a high-profile European switch would be a surprising twist, yet not an impossible one given the player’s age and the emotional significance of his home-club ties, while South American talents have historically used temporary returns to rebuild confidence and stability before resuming their European journey.

For City, the priority remains ensuring the midfielder progresses and remains on the trajectory mapped out upon his arrival. Should the current loan spell continue to stall, City may consider recalling Echeverri as soon as January and re-assess options, with Girona still expected to admire the player following their earlier summer pursuit.

Ultimately, Manchester City will not rush a decision, but Claudio Echeverri’s situation will be monitored closely over the coming weeks and months. If playing time does not improve, January could open the door to a return to River Plate, or another strategic move better aligned with his long-term development.