A return home may be on the cards for a Manchester City wonderkid | OneFootball

Claudio Echeverri finds himself in a difficult situation at Manchester City. Echeverri spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen and Girona. Echeverri’s loan spell with Bayer Leverkusen during the first half of last season was nothing short of a disaster. He couldn’t break into the Leverkusen side and returned to City in January before being sent out on loan to Girona. Claudio Echeverri showed flashes of his talent at Girona, however, he was primarily used as an impact substitute.

With how last season played out, Echeverri doesn’t seem ready for a role at Manchester City. Also, he has recently been linked with a loan move back to River Plate. If that occurs, it is hard to a path into the City set up for Echeverri.

Claudio Echeverri has been linked with a return to River Plate.

Sport Witness has relayed a report from Soy del Millo, citing journalist Renzo Pantich, that Enzo Maresca will decide what occurs with Claudio Echeverri this summer. The new Manchester City manager wants to assess Echeverri as a player before any decision on his future is made. Echeverri is due to report to Manchester City for the beginning of their preseason.

It is also reported that Claudio Echeverri is eager to return to River Plate. Furthermore, it is reported that River Plate have been keen to bring Echeverri back to the club for some time. Lastly, it has been revealed  that Echeverri’s camp believes that now may be the ideal time for him to return to Argentina.

It is highly unlikely that Claudio Echeverri will have a role to play at Manchester City but is a return to River Plate the ideal move for him?

Barring Claudio Echeverri putting in an irrepressible preseason performance, it is hard to see him having a role to play at Manchester City next season. Echeverri’s performances during the 2025-26 season for Girona showed that he is prodigiously talented, capable of flashes of brilliance, but not quite ready for a role in a team like Manchester City. That is the reality of what Echeverri displayed last season. There is no other way to summarize Echeverri’s 2025-26 performances.

Also, it must be remembered that Claudio Echeverri is only 20. It isn’t a major surprise that he may not be ready for a permanent role in Enzo Maresca’s squad. However, if as reported, a return to River Plate is the best move for him? Perhaps going home could do Echeverri the world of good in terms of playing regularly and it could help his state of mind. Although, Echeverri paid a price for an ill-advised loan move to Bayer Leverkusen. You’d hate to see that happen to him once again. Especially if he is being guided by the same representatives to go back to Argentina that saw him force a loan move to Bayer Leverkusen rather than follow Manchester City’s plans last season.

It will be determined by Manchester City what the next step is for Claudio Echeverri. A return to River Plate may be on the cards. Whatever happens with Echeverri next, the hope is he makes the right move for his development and career. The talent and potential is there to see with Claudio Echeverri. How he fulfils that at Manchester City isn’t immediately clear. But an ill-advised loan move has burned him once before. Hopefully that isn’t what occurs with Echeverri this summer.