Manchester City are yet to find a perfect replacement for their legend Kevin De Bruyne, who left the club last summer. Many players have been tasked to fill the void left by the Belgian and Claudio Echeverri, though currently on a season long loan, is one of them.
Echeverri’s time at Bayer Leverkusen has veered off script, with the Manchester City youngster enduring an increasingly stagnant spell in Germany.
Expected to take a major developmental step following his move from River Plate, the teenager instead finds himself short of minutes, short of rhythm, and growing visibly unsettled.
Pep Guardiola, usually cautious when speaking about loaned players, offered an unusually sharp response when pressed about the Argentine’s lack of involvement — a reaction that has fuelled fresh doubt over the midfielder’s future and raised questions about where City intend to guide his progression next.
Guardiola’s tone made it clear he is watching the situation with more bewilderment than authority.
Echeverri’s time at Bayer Leverkusen has not been fruitful for the young talent, leaving City puzzled over why such a highly rated player is spending most weeks on the bench.
When asked whether the Sky Blues could step in and recall him in January, the manager did not disguise his exasperation.
“It’s a question for his agent,” he replied, signalling a degree of distance from the problem that surprised many observers.
Guardiola expanded only slightly, stressing that the club expect their loaned players to feature regularly — particularly those signed as long-term investments — but insisted that information about the teenager’s struggles has been limited.
“Always we love that the players on loan play a lot of minutes. We have an incredible appreciation about him as a football player.
“What’s happening at Leverkusen, you have to ask. I don’t know but you speak with him, his agent will know everything,” he said during his press conference.
That blunt assessment of Echeverri’s time at Bayer Leverkusen has amplified concerns within City circles. For a player the club pursued ambitiously and committed to over six years, the early months of his European adaptation have offered little of the momentum both sides expected.
Echeverri arrived in Europe with genuine buzz. His breakout at River Plate elevated him from academy prospect to one of Argentina’s most talked-about emerging talents.
He scored nine goals in a youth tournament in Venice, later etched his name into River’s history books as one of their youngest scorers in the Copa Libertadores, and showcased the kind of flair that quickly attracts the attention of Europe’s elite.
Manchester City acted decisively. They completed his signing in January 2024, immediately viewing him as a long-term creative option, someone can replace the legendary Kevin De Bruyne.
Therefore, they place him on a trajectory designed to give him the best chance of adjusting to the Premier League.
He stayed in Buenos Aires for the remainder of 2024 before linking up with City midway through the 2024-25 season, making cameo appearances and even finding the net at the Club World Cup.
The loan to Leverkusen was intended as the next logical step — a competitive environment, a high-tempo league, and a club with a track record of nurturing young talent. Yet the reality has drifted far from the plan.
Leverkusen have struggled for stability under their current coaching setup, and Echeverri has found it difficult to convince the staff he is ready for a major role.
So far, he has made just eight appearances, with only three starts. In the last five matches he has remained unused, his contribution limited mostly to watching from the dugout. He has yet to register a goal or assist this season.
For a 19-year-old whose development relies heavily on rhythm, repetition, and confidence, the lack of continuity is proving damaging. And with City monitoring his progress closely, the frustration is beginning to spill over.
According to Argentine media reports, Echeverri has already communicated a desire to cut short the loan and return to River Plate.
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The speculation intensified after he posted a photo kissing the River Plate badge, accompanied by a heart and an hourglass emoji — a gesture many interpreted as a message that his patience is running thin.
Meanwhile, Guardiola’s comments have only muddied the picture further. His insistence that the key answers lie with Echeverri’s representatives indicates both limited control and limited desire to publicly intervene.
Despite the difficult situation of Echeverri’s time at Bayer Leverkusen, City value the youngster highly. However, their policy on loans is clear: if a player is not gaining substantial minutes, the arrangement becomes counterproductive.
The coming weeks will be crucial. City must decide whether to activate a recall clause, search for another loan destination, or allow him to remain in Leverkusen in the hope that circumstances change.
Echeverri, meanwhile, must weigh the benefits of staying in Europe against the emotional pull of returning home — a factor that has accompanied many South American players during their first challenging months abroad.
