'Dynamic' - Bayer Leverkusen hint at £116m role for Claudio Echeverri after Man City loan

Manchester City teenager Claudio Echeverri has joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the season and could have big shoes to fill in the Bundesliga.

Claudio Echeverri has been handed the No. 9 shirt after joining Bayer Leverkusen on loan

Handed the No. 9 shirt, a likely replacement for the best player in the club's history and told he is the kind of player that makes fans flock to stadiums. Let's hope Claudio Echeverri doesn't feel the pressure when he lands in the Bundesliga.

The 19-year-old will spend the season with Erik ten Hag's Bayer Leverkusen as they seek to mount another challenge to Bayern Munich and compete in the Champions League.

Echeverri's move to the 2023/24 Bundesliga champions comes at a time of significant change at the club. Xabi Alonso left in the summer to join Real Madrid, being replaced by former Manchester United boss Ten Hag, while they also sold their best player, with Florian Wirtz joining Liverpool for a fee that could reach £116million.

Echeverri is one of 13 new arrivals, and more are expected as Ten Hag puts his own stamp on the club and seeks to spend the funds raised by the departure of Wirtz, as well as the likes of Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli and Granit Xhaka.

Replacing Wirtz, 22, is clearly Ten Hag's top priority. The German attacker scored 57 goals and registered 65 assists in 197 games for the club and was the beating heart of Alonso's title winners. Now, there is a gap to be filled, and there is every chance Echeverri is tasked with filling it.

Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes penned an emotional letter to Wirtz after his switch to Anfield, and the former Germany international clearly has a way with words. He welcomed Echeverri to the BayArena with an emotive turn of phrase that hints at how the club sees their new Argentine.

“Claudio Echeverri is a technically strong, energetic player who is very dynamic and causes problems between the lines,” said Rolfes. “He's a fine footballer – a very good dribbler who drives towards goal and always uses his teammates to his advantage. Football fans come to the stadium for players like Claudio.”

That description would certainly suggest that Echeverri, who turned 19 at the start of this year, is seen as the replacement for Wirtz, who did so much of his best work for Leverkusen between the lines and dribbling towards goal.

Echeverri already has plenty of experience. He signed for City in January 2024 for £12.5million but remained on loan at River Plate for another year, finishing with 48 senior games for them.

At City, he has played 64 minutes of football but packed plenty into it. He made a shock debut as a substitute in the FA Cup final and scored a brilliant free-kick in the Club World Cup before an ankle injury ended his tournament early.

The fact that he has joined Leverkusen without an option to buy shows City have no intention of trying to cash in on him and see him as a potential first-team player, potentially from as early as next season.

Being given the keys to Leverkusen's attack and the chance to replace Wirtz certainly gives Echeverri an opportunity to prove his talent. If he succeeds, he could be in Argentina's World Cup squad, as could a place in Pep Guardiola's squad next season.

“It's fantastic that I can take my next steps with the 2024 German champions, in the Bundesliga and the Champions League,” said Echeverri. “I want to play a lot here and develop into an even better player week by week.

Many young professionals have already made it to the top of the global game at Bayer Leverkusen. I want to follow that path in the coming season and help us achieve great things with Bayer 04.”

If he even gets close to following in Wirtz's path this season, then City will have a star on their hands when he returns to the club.