Vitor Reis
Vitor Reis made a promising appearance for City during the Club World Cup
Manchester City are expected to agree loan moves for teenagers Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri this summer, and the deals for the South American duo could be key in their development.
Reis and , both 19, had their moments in the Club World Cup and in an alternative scenario, they could have been part of Pep Guardiola's first-team squad this season.
The Brazilian centre-back looked very assured when starting the win against Wydad AC in Philadelphia, and Echeverri, an Argentine attacking midfielder, scored a stylish free-kick against Al Ain before being forced off with an ankle injury.
After signing from Palmeiras in January, made three appearances for the Blues. That included a late Premier League debut against Leicester City, 45 minutes against Leyton Orient, and the full game against Plymouth.
Echeverri finally arrived at in February after initially returning to River Plate on loan. He made a shock debut off the bench in the FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace, which was a sign of Pep Guardiola's faith in him.
If this season was shaping up to be one of Guardiola's traditional slim squads, then perhaps both Reis and Echeverri would stay at the Etihad and gain experience off the bench. City don't mind keeping young players involved if they feel they will benefit from the quality and intensity of the training sessions.
But the squad is already too full, and the focus for the remainder of the window is likely to be on departures. Four foreign players would have to be left out of the 25-man Champions League squad, and Reis and Echeverri will find it difficult to be accommodated.
They could be included in Premier League squads as under-21 players, therefore not counting towards the 25 players registered, but there is also the issue of competition.
Guardiola has plenty of centre-backs to choose from with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, and Abdukodir Khusanov. In attacking midfield, Echeverri would be up against Bernardo Silva, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, and maybe even Omar Marmoush.
Both need to play to aid their development and that is why loan moves make sense. This is a crucial stage for their development and City will be determined to get them right.
When some players move on, the squad will have spaces up for grabs next season, and if Reis and Echeverri can shine away from the Etihad in 2025/26, they could be in pole position to be key first-team squad members the following season.
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including and , and you can also watch along on .