Manchester City are set to sign Claudio Echeverri from River Plate – and the total value of the package has now been revealed.
It was La Pagina Millonaria who released the information.
So, what is the latest on Claudio Echeverri and Manchester City? Let’s take a look…
Total price of Echeverri deal revealed
Well – as reported by Fabrizio Romano – Manchester City were expected to pay €25m (£22m) for the Argentina U17 international, the value of his release clause.
However – according to La Pagina Millonaria – the total figure goes beyond that, rising to €30m (£26m).
The South American news outlet believe Manchester City are actually paying €5m (£4m) on top of that £22m sum, as River Plate initially hoped to extend Echeverri’s contract and also increase his release clause.
In that respect, the £4 sum could be viewed as a sweetener from Manchester City – as those in the boardroom at River Plate were reportedly determined to extend his contract, which expires in December 2024, and add to the £22m release clause.
La Pagina Millonaria add that Manchester City will also loan Echeverri back to River Plate until January 2025 – with Chelsea and Barcelona also keen on signing the teenager, it sounds as if the Citizens were happy to let the Argentinian side dictate negotiations in order to strike a deal.
Manchester City can afford to gamble
Most sides would not be able to complete a deal of this ilk.
£26m is a lot of money to spend on a player for the present, let alone for the future, so this deal just goes to emphasise how comfortable Pep Guardiola is with his current squad.
If that was not the case, then Txiki Begiristain would surely be looking to spend this £26m sum on a more experienced option.
Even if Echeverri fails to realise his huge potential, this is a gamble that Manchester City can afford to make – given the club’s status as one of the wealthiest sides on the planet.
