Claudio Echeverri's Journey: From River Plate to Girona

Claudio Echeverri’s European education has not been smooth. It has, however, started to look a lot more like a career than a cautionary tale.

The Manchester City loanee has finally found rhythm at Girona after a stuttering spell at Bayer Leverkusen, and that upturn has not gone unnoticed. AC Monza’s sporting director Nicolas Burdisso wants him in Serie A next season, according to reports in Italy, and he is not hiding it.

From River Plate prodigy to City’s crowded stage

Echeverri arrived in England from River Plate in 2025, a 20-year-old playmaker walking into one of the most demanding dressing rooms in Europe. City were searching for consistency, rotating stars, chasing form. He walked straight into the turbulence.

The opportunities were scarce but high profile. He featured in an FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace, then boarded a plane to the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup. That tournament briefly looked like his launchpad.

Against Al Ain, he produced the moment that still defines his City career: a stunning free-kick from around 20 yards, whipped over the wall, clipping the underside of the bar and dropping in during a 6–0 win. One strike, one glimpse of why City had moved for him. One goal, and that was it.

Then reality bit. The influx of world-class talent around him meant the pathway narrowed quickly. City decided he needed minutes elsewhere.

The wrong turn in Germany

Inside the City Football Group, Girona looked the obvious landing spot: a familiar environment, a club aligned in style and structure. But Echeverri’s camp chose Bayer Leverkusen instead, a bold move into the Bundesliga.

It did not work.

Across the first half of the 2025/26 season, he played just 270 minutes in 11 appearances. Seven times he sat as an unused substitute in the 13 league games for which he was available. The promise of a platform turned into a seat on the bench.

Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand saw the situation stagnate and, together with Manchester City, agreed to cut the loan short. By January, Echeverri was out of Germany and back inside the CFG network, this time in Spain.

Girona: minutes, confidence, and a reminder of his talent

At Girona, he has finally been treated like a footballer who needs games, not a prospect who can wait. Seventeen La Liga appearances have brought him one goal and one assist, both in the same match against Athletic Club in March. On paper, modest returns. On the pitch, a different story.

The Argentine has grown into his role, touching the ball more, demanding it in tighter spaces, pressing with greater conviction. The numbers matter, but the rhythm matters more. His minutes, workload, and intensity have all climbed, and with them his confidence.

That is when scouts and sporting directors start to take notice. Monza, with Burdisso at the helm, are watching closely.

Monza’s move and City’s dilemma

The Italian club see an opportunity: a 20-year-old with elite training, bruised by one loan, revived by another, now hungry for a proper season in a top league. Another temporary move looks likely to suit everyone on paper. City protect their asset. Echeverri keeps playing in Europe. Monza add a creative spark without committing to a huge fee.

But the situation is not simple for Manchester City.

They must weigh his recent surge at Girona against the long-term plan drawn up when he left River Plate. Is he edging closer to the level they imagined in 2025, or is he becoming a high-end loanee rather than a future starter at the Etihad?

What is clear is this: if he keeps stacking games at the current level, whether in La Liga or Serie A, the version of Claudio Echeverri that City thought they were signing might finally step fully into view. And then the question will not be who wants him on loan, but whether City can afford to let him go at all.