Claudio Echeverri returns to Man City fold ahead of Tuesday shop window game amid fresh loan talk | OneFootball

Claudio Echeverri made his Manchester City return in a behind-closed-doors game against Wigan Athletic recently and will feature in the ‘shop window’ game on Tuesday, according to reports.

Echeverri, 20, has faced perhaps one of the toughest spells that any young player could, staining a promising career with difficult loan moves across Europe, a push for returns elsewhere, and recent struggles to lock down a regular, first-team role. 

After arriving at the Etihad Stadium from River Plate in 2025, Echeverri spent his early months at City refining his talent under Pep Guardiola before being sent out on loan to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for the 2025/26 season.

The Argentine later admitted to having “a difficult few months” and asked for the loan to be terminated early, as he desired a move back to River Plate, the club he had played for since he was 10. 

He was soon sent back out on loan again, this time with the City Football Group side, and City’s sister club, Girona, where he found his footing and famously featured in a huge victory over Barcelona. 

Since then, Echeverri has returned to the City Academy and is due to play in a ‘shop window’ game on Tuesday, according to journalist Alan Nixon, where 25 players will feature as several clubs scout in attendance.

Hugo Viana has already pulled off the greatest deal of this summer’s transfer window with the signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, while also bringing Jeremy Monga in for £10 million, plus add-ons. 

Anderson will complete all formalities of his City deal when he returns from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he has without a doubt been England’s greatest asset behind Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. 

Yet despite the improvements coming into Manchester, there is also business to be done to offload the talent that is not part of Enzo Maresca’s early plans as Guardiola’s successor.

On Tuesday, there are several clubs expected to attend from the EFL Championship and across Europe, with the opportunity to see some of City’s young talent on show, most of whom will be available for loan or permanent moves. 

Divine Mukasa, Jaden and Reigan Heskey, Divine Mubama, Max Alleyne and plenty others will be in action, while Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips may feature in the game as well after the former posted a video of the pair training on social media last week.

Grealish and Phillips, returning from loan spells at Everton and Sheffield United respectively, could stay in east Manchester beyond the summer window after it emerged that Maresca is set to give both players a chance in the pre-season tour of Asia.