Little Devil in Catalonia: Girona snap up City's Echeverri on loan
Claudio 'El Diablito' Echeverri joins Girona on loan from Manchester City after struggling for minutes at Bayer Leverkusen in the first half of the season.
Argentine wonderkid arrives to bolster Míchel’s attacking options for the remainder of the campaign after Jhon Solís departure created space in the squad.
Diablito finally gets his Girona move
Girona have finally secured the services of Claudio ‘El Diablito’ Echeverri, with the Argentine attacker joining on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season. The Catalan outfit had been scrambling to register the player right up until hours before their recent derby against Espanyol, waiting for Jhon Solís’s departure to be confirmed to free up one of their three non-EU player slots.
Interestingly, this move could have happened last summer when both Girona and parent club City were keen, but Echeverri and his representatives opted for Bayer Leverkusen instead, drawn by the lure of Champions League football. That German adventure turned out to be a proper dog’s dinner, with the youngster making just 11 appearances and clocking a measly 271 minutes across all competitions.
What Echeverri brings to Míchel’s side
The River Plate academy product arrives at a Girona side that’s found a bit of form recently but has struggled in front of goal. The Catalans will be hoping Echeverri can provide:
- Much-needed verticality in attack
- Creative flair and unpredictability
- The kind of cheeky confidence that’s earned him his ‘Little Devil’ nickname
Echeverri is considered one of Argentina’s brightest prospects, and this City Football Group shuffle makes perfect sense given Girona’s majority ownership structure.
More transfer activity brewing
Míchel isn’t done with his January shopping yet. Celta Vigo’s Fran Beltrán looks set to arrive for a nominal fee, with his contract expiring this summer. The Vallecas-born manager is also targeting:
- A goalkeeper replacement (with Livaković potentially making way for Ter Stegen)
- Additional midfield reinforcements
- A left-footed centre-back who can also provide cover at left-back for Alex Moreno
With Echeverri now in the building, Girona fans will be hoping the little devil can work some magic as they look to maintain their impressive form this season.