Claudio Echeverri has still not managed to find continuity at the Manchester City and all indications suggest he will have to seek it again away from England. After a year and a half marked by different loans, the Argentine forward has practically defined his next destination: Benfica.
According to reports, the agreement between the parties is very advanced and the player who came from River will travel to Portugal in the coming hours to undergo a medical examination and subsequently sign a loan contract until June 30, 2027. The operation also includes an option to buy for the Portuguese team, although the amount has not yet been disclosed.
After the 2026 World Cup, the Diablito returned to City after spending time at Bayer Leverkusen and Girona during the last season. In the German team, he played one semester before being loaned to the Spanish team, which ended up being relegated to the Second Division.
During the current preseason, the attacker had some opportunities to showcase himself with the English team. He came off the bench in the friendlies against Inter, Atlético de Madrid, and the K-League stars. However, he did not accumulate minutes in the first three official matches of the citizens and was only called up once (he was a substitute in the 4-1 rout against Crystal Palace in the second round of the Premier League).
Given this scenario, City considers it advisable for the Argentine to continue his development at another club. This is why Benfica appears as an alternative for him to gain the continuity he did not achieve in England.
The move to the Eagles will represent the third loan for Echeverri since his arrival at Manchester City. Unlike his previous experiences, this time the destination club will have the option to permanently acquire his transfer if the Argentine's performance convinces the institution.
Additionally, the Diablito will meet two compatriots in the squad: Enzo Barrenechea and Gianluca Prestianni. With the latter, he even shared a team during his time in the youth divisions of the Argentine National Team.
In this way, Echeverri will face a new opportunity to regain prominence and demonstrate the level that led him to be considered one of the great promises emerging from Argentine football.
Echeverri's numbers in Europe
Manchester City:
Matches: 3
Minutes: 64
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
Yellow cards: 1
Red cards: 0
