Manchester City to welcome Argentina sensation into first-team squad in January 2025 | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad will welcome a new addition into the first-team picture in January 2025, according to a new report.

That concerns the future of on-loan sensation Claudio Echeverri, whom the reigning Premier League champions signed from River Plate in the last January transfer window, before sending the teenager immediately back on loan to the Argentine giants.

Such is the high-regard in which the 18-year-old is held within the Etihad Stadium, club officials felt it necessary to sign off and persuade the talent to put pen to paper on a long-term agreement with the organisation until the summer of 2028.

Manchester City view Echeverri as a long-term project at the club, and a talent that can certainly play a big role in the club’s future. But they are willing to bide their time, originally planning for the attacking midfielder to go on loan within the European game from 2025.

However, amid complications over Manchester City and Girona’s abilities to exchange players following a change of European rules on clubs competing in the same international competition, Claudio Echeverri will not be permitted to join the La Liga club any time soon.

As such, the four-in-a-row Premier League champions have been forced to rethink their plans regarding El Diablito, and that could now lead to an opportunity for the player to showcase his talents in the English game very soon.

According to the information of Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Manchester City will bolster their attacking options in January 2025, as recently-acquired teenage Argentine sensation Claudio Echeverri will join the club.

Following the exit of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, in a deal worth a total potential package of €95 million, rumours circulated that Manchester City could look into the possibility of welcoming Claudio Echeverri immediately.

However, when the question was put to head coach Pep Guardiola, the Etihad Stadium tactician clarified that such a discussion had not taken place between himself and senior recruitment staff.

“No idea about that,” Guardiola made clear during a press conference last month. “I didn’t talk with Txiki (Begiristain, Manchester City’s sporting director) about Claudio Echeverri, no.”