Diablito Echeverri’s agent rules out River return, not City | OneFootball

The interruption of Claudio Diablito Echeverri’s loan at Bayer Leverkusen fueled excitement throughout River, who are eager to see him display his talent with the red sash once again. Given his limited role in Germany, Manchester City decided to recall him, will loan him out again in January, and in Núñez they are waiting for him with open arms. However, in recent hours his agent broke the silence and dashed the hopes of River fans.

“The termination with Leverkusen was signed today,” confirmed Enzo Montepaone, who weeks ago had received a public jab from Pep Guardiola. In that spicy press conference, the Spanish coach lamented the few minutes the Argentine attacker had in this last semester: just 11 matches, only three as a starter, no goals, and one assist.

These alarming numbers led the Citizens to cut the loan short (which was supposed to end in mid-2026) and bring him back in this transfer window. But he won’t stay in England for long, as he will move to another foreign club with the aim of gaining experience and fully adapting.

Asked by Bolavip about a possible return to River, Montepaone was clear and gave a thumbs down: “It’s what Claudio wants, but it’s not Manchester City’s wish. I have some meetings scheduled with the club’s directors and we’ll decide what Claudio’s future will be, but I can tell you in advance that it will be in Europe.”

He also gave details about his possible destinations on the Old Continent: “There are two teams that want Claudio. Girona is the most concrete option, but we can’t rule out Villarreal either.”

Beyond the importance of both teams in Spain, Echeverri’s goal is to get playing time to be back in Lionel Scaloni’s plans, as happened in previous call-ups: “Claudio needs to play because he has a chance to be considered for the World Cup with the Argentine National Team.”

To conclude, the agent made it clear that the 19-year-old from Chaco has a River Plate heart and that, despite having pushed for it, his return was frustrated by the decision of Guardiola and company: “He is very identified with the club, he was practically formed there as a player and as a person, that’s why he will always want to return. Now it won’t be possible, but that’s because Manchester City doesn’t want to loan him to South America; otherwise, he would be delighted.”

It’s worth remembering that Echeverri was sold to the English club at the beginning of 2024 for around 18.5 million euros, after some statements about his failed contract renewal left him in a bad light with the fans. He stayed in 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 minutes under Guardiola, and after the Club World Cup, where he scored his only goal on the Old Continent, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen.

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