From Fabrizio Romano: Manchester City reject loan approaches for 18-year-old midfielder | OneFootball

Manchester City have been consistently rejecting loan approaches for their incoming 18-year-old playmaker Claudio Echeverri, according to reports.

The Premier League champions announced a deal had been struck over the services of Echeverri during the last January transfer market, with the teenager penning an Etihad Stadium contract until the summer of 2028.

Such is the excitement around the 18-year-old that Manchester City officials had sanctioned a deal worth £12.5 million plus add-ons related to his future success under Pep Guardiola, whilst enabling the talent to remain on loan at River Plate until the end of 2024.

Whilst there had been plenty of speculation surrounding what City would do with Echeverri upon his arrival in England, with some suggesting an immediate loan into European football, recent reports from regional media have confirmed the club’s intentions to keep the player.

The Resistencia-born talent is set to make the move to the City Football Academy in January 2025 and immediately join Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad, whilst a debut for Manchester City’s senior side before the end of the ongoing season is possible if he impresses in training.

Now, according to the information of transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano, it is reported that officials at City ‘keep rejecting approaches’ for their exciting Argentine attacking midfield talent, Claudio Echeverri over a potential loan move from the Etihad Stadium.

It is explained that those offers also include an approach from Echeverri’s current loan club River Plate over an extended agreement, although the teenager is considered as part of Manchester City’s long-term project from 2025.

Claudio Echeverri is understood to have already finalised an agreement with the aid of Manchester City for his first home in the centre of the north-west city, paying a brief visit to a new apartment over the summer months prior to the Olympic Games in Paris.

There were even tenuous claims that Manchester City were exploring an early arrival of Echeverri throughout the summer months, before eventually turning attentions to the return of Ilkay Gundogan from FC Barcelona on a free transfer.

Such claims were shut down by manager Pep Guardiola during a media conference however, with the 53-year-old tactician explaining on the rumours, “No idea about that. I didn’t talk with Txiki [Begiristain] about Claudio Echeverri, no.”