Bayer Leverkusen has secured the signing of Manchester City’s highly rated Argentine midfielder Claudio Echeverri on a season-long loan, fending off strong competition from Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sevilla, and Girona.
Softfootball reports that the deal will see the 19-year-old spend the 2025/26 campaign in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen will pay a loan fee to City and cover the full salary of the player, nicknamed El Diablito, but crucially, no purchase option has been included in the agreement.
City has a clear intention to keep hold of Echeverri, who is regarded as one of South America’s brightest prospects. The Premier League giants want the youngster to gain regular first-team minutes in a competitive European league before returning to the Etihad in 2026 with a stronger chance of breaking into Pep Guardiola’s squad.
Echeverri is expected to complete his medical examinations in Germany on Tuesday night, with an official announcement from both clubs due shortly. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the move on his official X account, reporting:
“Bayer Leverkusen will pay a small loan fee for Claudio Echeverri in order to win the race against Girona and more clubs keen.
Echeverri will undergo his medical on Wednesday morning, no buy option clause is included.”
The move comes at a crucial moment for Erik ten Hag’s side. Following Florian Wirtz’s record-breaking transfer to Liverpool earlier this summer, the new Liverpool star was recently named the German footballer of the year.
Leverkusen has been active in the market to reinforce their creative options. Echeverri will join fellow attacking midfielder Malik Tillman in a revamped final-third lineup designed to maintain the club’s attacking edge in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Echeverri’s arrival adds to a busy summer at the BayArena, which has already seen the signings of Jarell Quansah, goalkeeper Mark Flekken, and teenager Ibrahim Maza.
The move also represents a setback for several suitors. Borussia Dortmund and Roma had pushed for loan deals that included a purchase option, but City were unwilling to lose long-term control of the player. Girona, City’s sister club, had been considered the frontrunner earlier in the window, though Echeverri reportedly preferred a Champions League club for his next step.
With the deal now finalised, Leverkusen appears to have landed one of Europe’s most sought-after young playmakers if only for a season.
