New Manchester City signing Claudio Echeverri left River Plate fans absolutely buzzing last night.
It was yet another quiet January transfer window for Manchester City, with Kalvin Phillips’ move to West Ham United on loan the only major deal of the month.
However, the Blues did move to recruit another highly-rated prospect who might go on to make a big impact in Pep Guardiola’s team one day.
City signed Claudio Echeverri from Argentine giants River Plate for a reported £12.5m.
The 18-year-old will spend the whole year in Buenos Aires, though, and won’t join up with City until January 2025.
Echeverri will be aiming to continue his fine development at River Plate and looks to be doing so after helping his side win a trophy.
Claudio Echeverri delights River Plate fans
River Plate took on Estudiantes in the Supercopa Argentina final last night, with former City stars Martin Demichelis and Carlos Tevez in charge of the two sides.
It was Tevez’s Estudiantes who took an early lead through Marcelo Correa’s 3rd-minute goal.
Demichelis was coming under pressure from his own supporters as the clock ran down, with fans demanding youngsters Echeverri and Rodrigo Villagra be thrown on.
They eventually were and they helped swing the game into River’s favour. An own goal levelled things up in the 80th minute before Echeverri teed up Rodrigo Aliendro to fire in a sensational last-minute winner.
Echeverri picked up the assist to not only justify the fans’ demands but send them into raptures as their team won the trophy.
Another great City prospect
Echeverri appears to be a very exciting prospect. He’s only just turned 18 but has already made 13 senior appearances for River Plate and is proving to be quite the creator.
The midfielder has also proven he can score by bagging a hat-trick in his country’s 3-0 Under-17 World Cup quarter-final victory against fierce rivals Brazil at the end of last year.
Echeverri is following in the footsteps of Julian Alvarez from River Plate to Ctiy and hopefully, he will have just as much success.
