The struggles of Claudio Echeverri at Bayer Leverkusen are well-documented. Echeverri left Manchester City on loan last summer in the hope of playing a prominent role in the Bundesliga and the Champions League for Leverkusen. Unfortunately, Echeverri has spent his time in Germany on the periphery of the Bayer Leverkusen squad. Echeverri made eleven appearances for Leverkusen, most of those coming off the bench. His loan spell with the Bundesliga side will end shortly and he is now set to join Girona on loan for the second half of this season. Echeverri can salvage something from this season if he can hit the ground running in La Liga.
Claudio Echeverri is set to leave Bayer Leverkusen and join Girona on loan for the remainder of this season.
First of all, Sebastian Stafford-Bloor has reported for The Athletic that Claudio Echeverri’s loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen is set to be cut short. Stafford-Bloor has relayed comments from Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand that confirmed that Echeverri is set to return to Manchester City. Hjulmand explained that while he likes Echeverri as a player, there was too much competition in his squad in the position that Echeverri plays to guarantee him the minutes that he needs. It is also explained that City and Leverkusen agreed to cut Echeverri’s loan spell in Germany short.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Claudio Echeverri is set to join Girona on loan until June. Furthermore, Romano reports that Echeverri’s move to Girona is a straightforward loan deal with no further add-ons or clauses.
The opportunity is now there for a Manchester City youngster to salvage his season
Manchester City will be hoping that Echeverri can make an impression in La Liga.
Claudio Echeverri has now had his first taste of adversity as a player in Europe. His loan move to Bayer Leverkusen promised so much but in the end delivered very little. These things happen in football especially to young players. Echeverri has the talent and potential to become a very good player in time. He has now faced the first hurdle of his young career but he does have the opportunity to overcome it.
Playing at Girona and in La Liga should benefit Echeverri’s game. Girona being a CFG club will see Echeverri slot into a team that attempts to play football in a similar manner to City. His progress can now be tracked and closely monitored by Manchester City and the hope is that Echeverri can play regularly and contribute for Girona in La Liga. Girona sit 18th in La Liga and will be hoping that Echeverri can provide a spark and creativity to their play to help them avoid relegation. Echeverri needs to make an impression in Spain for his own confidence and to show that can fulfil his undoubted potential.
Claudio Echeverri has the opportunity at Girona to salvage his season. His loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen has been a disappointment but the opportunity is in front of Echeverri to put his time in Germany behind him. If he can do that it will show his character to respond from adversity. Echeverri has the talent to make it as a player he must now seize the opportunity on offer before him.