Where could Claudio Echeverri fit into the current Manchester City lineup and should Pep unleash him? | OneFootball

Claudio Echeverri finally arrived at Manchester City at the end of February. His long-awaited arrival at City has generated some excitement as he is regarded as one of the brightest young talents to come from Argentina. Echeverri is yet to make his debut for the world champions. He is only 19 years of age so that will come in time.

But lately, Pep Guardiola’s side has lacked creativity and any cutting edge in the final third. So where could Echeverri fit into the Manchester City lineup and should Pep Guardiola unleash him over the final stages of this season? Those are both interesting topics to consider.

Claudio Echeverri has all of the talent and potential to develop into a special player.

When you look at where Claudio Echeverri primarily plays, he tends to operate as a number 10. As per transfermarkt.com, Echeverri can also operate on the left wing. But he does his best work playing just behind a striker. From there Echeverri drifts all over the pitch to receive the ball. When in possession the best attributes of Echeverri’s game come to the fore. The young attacking midfielder is blessed with pace and quick feet. He is also an elite dribbler and his skills in possession are an integral component of his game. Echeverri shows all of the attributes you’d generally associate with a typical Argentinian attacking midfielder.

In possession is where Claudio Echeverri shines. He has an eye for goal and can pick out a pass. He isn’t the finished product by any stretch but the tools are there for Echeverri to make an impact already. He wasn’t a prolific scorer for River Plate nor did he provide a lot of assists. But when you see him play for Argentina’s youth sides you see what he could develop into in time. Echeverri has been a prolific scorer for Argentina in youth internationals and you do sense that skill will come through in his play as his career develops.

Should Pep Guardiola utilise Claudio Echeverri over the closing stages of the 24/25 season?

The standout attributes in Claudio Echeverri’s game do appear to be exactly what Pep Guardiola’s side currently lacks. Recently, we have seen Manchester City struggle for creativity in the final third. Claudio Echeverri could help.in this regard. His game could be a weapon for Guardiola to unleash. Perhaps Echeverri could be an impact substitution rather than a starter at this stage of his career. His dribbling, eye for a pass and goal could help City’s cause over the final stages of this season. Physically, Echeverri may not be strong enough to compete for 90 minutes against Premier League defenders. But he could contribute in the final 20-30 minutes of a match when Manchester City need someone to change a game.

So should Pep Guardiola unleash Claudio Echeverri over the final stages of this season? In my opinion, he should. It could add what Manchester City lacks in the final third and would also give Echeverri a taste of what it takes to play for Manchester City and in the Premier League. There isn’t a lot to lose in playing Echeverri but there could be plenty to gain for Manchester City. It’s food for thought, if nothing else, over the closing stages of the 24/25 season for Manchester City.