Forgotten £12.5m Man City signing confirms big injury boost | OneFootball

Manchester City's scarcely spotted teenage phenom Claudio Echeverri has overcome an ankle injury he suffered on international duty with Argentina ahead of his integration into the first-team setup.

Echeverri signed for City in a deal worth an initial £12.5m in January 2024, despite competition from several members of Europe's elite. The River Plate academy graduate was loaned back to the Buenos Aires outfit for the remainder of 2024 before officially joining the Premier League champions in this year's winter window.

Rather than team up with his new employers, the 19-year-old was swiftly whisked away to compete in the Under-20 South American Championship. Echeverri appeared in all nine of Argentina's fixtures during the three-week tournament which concluded on Monday, scoring six goals while racking up three assists.

Argentina's skipper opened the scoring against Brazil on Friday with a deftly dinked penalty in his nation's penultimate match of the competition. However, Echeverri had to sit out the final 20 minutes after sustaining a blow to his left ankle and watched Brazil equalise to secure a 1-1 draw.

It was initially reported that Echeverri had sustained a grade one sprain and would be travelling straight back to Manchester to continue his recovery. The youngster had other plans.

"I'm fine with my ankle," he told reporters after the game. "In the match against Colombia they stepped on me and I was left with discomfort. I played like that throughout the Sudamericana [South America's equivalent of the Europa League]."

Echeverri duly returned for his nation's final tie against Paraguay on Monday, but couldn't help them avoid a 3-2 defeat which ensured that Argentina finished as runners-up to Brazil in the final standings.

City will now welcome the 19-year-old back to the Etihad Campus where he can become accustomed with the demands of playing for the reigning English champions.