Claudio Echeverri eyed for Premier League loan move from Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City may see Claudio Echeverri spend the 2025/26 season on loan elsewhere in the Premier League, according to new developments.

The teenager’s short-term future has been the subject of internal discussion at the Etihad Stadium for several weeks, with the club keen to manage his development carefully following his January arrival from River Plate.

Echeverri has already impressed in fleeting first-team opportunities, including a goal at the FIFA Club World Cup, but there is growing understanding that a temporary switch could be the next logical step in his progression.

Despite his young age, Echeverri is seen as a future pillar of City’s midfield structure and is rated extremely highly by staff. However, a strong season of regular top-flight football ahead of Argentina’s squad selections for the 2026 FIFA World Cup could now be vital.

A potential loan to Girona, a fellow member of the City Football Group, had been widely discussed as the logical route for a temporary move, but reporting from earlier this week indicated that the player and his entourage were not enthused by that option.

Reports in Italy were insisting that Echeverri’s camp were pushing for a destination with UEFA Champions League or Europa League football, as such ruling out the possibility of 12 months with Girona in La Liga.

Now, according to the information of The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, Claudio Echeverri’s future is said to remain undecided although the midfielder is ‘highly thought of internally’ at City, while a spot in Argentina’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad is on his mind.

Sources close to the player are said to believe that a loan move away from the Etihad Stadium is needed this summer to ensure he plays enough ahead of the tournament, however a move to Girona is not on the cards.

As such, it is now revealed that the preference for Echeverri is a loan to a Premier League side, should he depart Manchester City on a temporary arrangement this summer.

It remains to be seen which English clubs could enter into dialogue with City over a possible loan for Echeverri, but a number of top-flight outfits are known to be seeking attacking midfield options ahead of the season’s start.

A move within the Premier League would also allow Manchester City to monitor his progress more closely, while giving Claudio Echeverri experience in the same competitive environment that awaits him long-term at the Etihad Stadium.

This latest development follows City’s broader summer approach of carefully managing the careers of emerging talents, with a similar strategy being pursued in the case of Sverre Nypan, whose proposed move to Ajax recently fell through.

Manchester City are increasingly favouring loans that offer either Premier League exposure or elite European competition experience, rather than simply prioritising internal City Football Group options.

Should Echeverri indeed secure a Premier League move, City will look to replicate the success of previous temporary stints enjoyed by the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, James Trafford, or Callum Doyle, ensuring top-level minutes paired with developmental structure and tactical growth.

A final decision is expected in the coming weeks, with Manchester City keen to ensure the right balance between regular first-team football and a club environment that supports their long-term vision for one of Argentina’s most exciting prospects.