Manchester City are growing frustrated with Claudio Echeverri’s situation at Bayer Leverkusen.
As reported live at Argentina’s ESPN Sportcenter, relayed here byBolavip, the Premier League side expected the teenager to gain consistent minutes in Germany. However, that plan has not worked so far.
Echeverri has played eight matches for Leverkusen by now (four in the Champions League, four in the Bundesliga), and started just three. He did not play a single minute seven times. That lack of involvement has pushed Manchester City to consider ending the loan six months ahead of schedule. The original deal runs until mid-2026.
The Manchester City youngster’s desire
Claudio Echeverri
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY – 21 SEPTEMBER, 2025: Claudio Echeverri – The Bundesliga match Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Borussia Moenchengladbach at BayArena.
ESPN journalist Juan Patricio Balbi added a crucial detail. The midfielder has already told his family and his representatives that he wants to return to River Plate.“He wants to go back to Argentina. He wants to play for River again. He wants continuity, and he knows River is the best place to get it,”the journalist said.
According to him, however, Manchester City have a different plan. If the club recall him in January, they will not keep him under Pep Guardiola. Instead, they aim to negotiate a new loan.
Their priority is simple: they want him to earn minutes in Europe. A return to River remains possible, but only if no European option works out. Girona, part of the City Football Group and a club that pushed to sign him before Leverkusen, is one of the first alternatives.
Argentine journalistRenzo Pantich reported something similar. He also stated that Echeverri wants to return to River, but that City are analysing an early break in the loan because the appearance targets agreed with Leverkusen have not been met.
Manchester City don’t rule out his homecoming
That speculation has grown in recent days. As relayed by local outletLa Gaceta, ESPN’s Javier Gil Navarro just reported that Manchester City have not ruled out the possibility of loaning him back to River Plate. The journalist says “they see it with good eyes”, and that scenario could gain force if the player keeps pressing for his return.
City still value his potential, but they recognise that he needs a place where he can play every week. River, meanwhile, are moving with caution. They are waiting for a clear signal before making contact.
If Manchester City open the door to talks, the only realistic route would be another loan. For now, everything depends on the English club’s next steps and on how firmly Echeverri pushes for the move.
The midfielder is not living the season he imagined in Germany. In Buenos Aires, however, every new mention of his name fuels expectations. Whether 2026 becomes the year of his return remains to be seen. The market will decide.