Manchester City identify loan club for Claudio Echeverri – Rival suitor want to include buy option | OneFootball

Claudio Echeverri would be heading to Girona for the duration of the forthcoming season, if Manchester City were to get their own way on the player’s immediate future.

The 19-year-old Argentine has been the subject of increasing transfer attention in recent weeks as Manchester City weigh up the best next step in his development, after it had emerged that he was being eyed for a temporary exit from the Etihad Stadium.

After arriving from River Plate in January, Echeverri featured in high-profile moments during City’s end-of-season run, including a debut in the FA Cup final and a goal in the FIFA Club World Cup. Despite positive signs, the club’s internal evaluation has led to a consensus that the teenager would benefit from a full season of regular first-team football elsewhere.

Girona – part of the City Football Group – have emerged as City’s preferred destination, having become a trusted development ground for Etihad Stadium prospects, namely previous loanees such as Savinho and Yan Couto. Girona’s tactical approach and emphasis on possession-based football is seen as ideal for accelerating adjustment to European football at the elite level.

City are currently balancing multiple variables in their decision-making, including the player’s readiness following his recovery from an ankle injury sustained at the Club World Cup. Having returned to pre-season training at the City Football Academy earlier this week, the teenager is expected to complete his recovery in time for the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

According to the information of Calciomercato’s Daniele Longo, Manchester City hold an openness to loaning out Claudio Echeverri this summer, but want to send the Argentine midfielder to Girona.

However, from the side of the attacking midfielder himself, it is claimed he wants to head out to AS Roma in Italy amid interest from the Serie A side and ongoing talks over a possible deal. It is stated that the Italians are also pushing to include a purchase option in an agreement.

Manchester City’s reluctance to include a buy clause in any loan deal aligns with their view of Claudio Echeverri as a long-term project. The club have consistently rejected permanent interest in the player, including prior links with Olympique Lyonnais.

While Roma would provide a high-profile platform for Echeverri in one of Europe’s top leagues, City are determined to retain full control over his future – making the Serie A side’s insistence on a purchase option a key sticking point in negotiations.

This latest development adds another layer to the ongoing tug-of-war surrounding Echeverri’s short-term future. Recent reports had indicated that a move to Roma was no longer under consideration, but fresh claims suggest the player himself remains open to the opportunity.

It now appears that both parties must come to a mutual agreement in the coming days, with City likely to prioritise City Football Group-aligned destinations unless guaranteed development conditions can be secured elsewhere.