Claudio Echeverri joins Guardiola’s squad

Claudio Echeverri has joined up with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City squad for the first time. The Argentine attacking midfielder signed for the club in January 2024 but remained on loan at River Plate until last month.

The 19-year-old arrives in Manchester off the back of a spectacular campaign in the Under-20 South American Championship, where he captained his nation to a runners-up finish, reports sentinelassam.

His six goals in nine appearances made him the second-highest scorer in the tournament, with a double each against Brazil and Uruguay the standout contributions. It was the latest landmark in a glittering youth international career, after captaining Argentina at the 2023 U17 World Cup and scoring five goals including a hat-trick against Brazil.

Despite his tender years, Echeverri comes with experience having represented River Plate’s senior side 48 times. He scored four goals and provided eight assists in that period.

Former City defender Martin Demichelis, who was manager at El Monumental until July 2024, gave him his debut in June 2023. Since then, he has played 10 matches in the Copa Libertadores – South America’s premier continental competition - and 24 games in Argentina’s top flight._Agencies.