Claudio Echeverri set for Man City return – ‘This isn’t what anybody wanted’
Claudio Echeverri is increasingly likely to be recalled from his loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen as Man City are unhappy with his involvement.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Man City could recall the 19-year-old and then opt to send him elsewhere.
Pep Guardiola does not see the attacking midfielder as part of his first-team plans at the Etihad, but is keen for him to gain experience and one day make his mark.
Echeverri is highly rated by Guardiola, but there is a belief he is not yet ready for first-team football at City, and that belief is also held by Bayer Leverkusen.
Since his move on loan to the Bundesliga giants, the Argentina Under-20 international has started just three games across all competitions and has not completed 90 minutes.
Man City could recall Claudio Echeverri from Bayer Leverkusen
Echeverri joined Man City in January 2024 from River Plate, in a deal worth around £12.5million, but he has so far failed to make his mark at the Etihad.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that he was never likely to be a regular at City straight away, but needs to play regularly at this stage of his career.
“They’ve been put in a difficult situation at City,” he told Football Insider.
“Guardiola obviously rates him highly and that’s why they brought him in to begin with.
“But he was never going to man an impact on this City side, so they’ve sent him away to gain experience, but that’s not gone as planned.
“This obviously isn’t what anybody wanted, I think he’s gone on loan and maybe hasn’t delivered the performances they were expecting of him.
“It would make sense from City’s point of view to bring him back and see what other options they have.
“At this stage of his career, he needs to be playing regular football.
“It hasn’t worked out for him at Leverkusen, but that’s football, sometimes you take people in with good intentions but things don’t work out.
“Now it’s given City a decision to make, but one thing’s for sure, he can’t stay where he isn’t playing.”
Man City to line up next move for Echeverri
Echeverri was reported to be leaving Man City in the early stages of the summer window, with a loan switch to Roma mooted, but he instead joined Bayer Leverkusen.
Just over a week after he joined, Erik ten Hag was sacked as Leverkusen boss after just three games in charge following a poor start to his tenure and a lacklustre pre-season.
While things haven’t worked out in Germany, should a team like Roma return for the Argentine, there is a good chance he could leave City on loan again.
With no shortage of interest in the 19-year-old during the summer, clubs are expected to return with fresh moves for his signature should he be recalled.
As Brown explained, City are keen for him to continue his development with regular first-team football, and he is therefore likely to move on again.
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